The Recovery
by dallaswinstonsgirl44
Summary: Sodapop Curtis is the middle child in his family. He was the one who had to stop all of the fighting. It had gotten worse after two members of the gang died. He tries to be the fixer, but it doesn't always work out. He wants to be with his girlfriend for the rest of his life, but will a great tragedy tear them apart?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I woke up early Monday morning. I didn't have work until noon, so waking up at nine was early for me. My younger brother, Ponyboy, was off at school and my older brother, Darry, was already at work. I walked into the kitchen and found that Dar left the chocolate cake I made last night out for me. Our parents had never let us eaten cake for breakfast. But after their accident Darry started to let us. It took a lot of begging on my part, but he gave in. Probably because he has a sweet spot for the cake that our mother used to make, which is the same cake sitting on the counter before me.

I made a couple eggs, put some grape jelly on my plate and cut myself a large slice of the cake. The recliner across from the TV looked comfortable so I sat in that. I flipped through the channels until I found Mickey Mouse. One guy in the gang, Two-Bit Mathews, is obsessed with Mickey. He's twenty years old and still a senior in high school. We always joke that he should get a job and make some money so he can fix up that old car of his. It's a clunker. My best friend, Steve Randle, is also a senior in high school. He works part-time at the DX station with me until he graduates. My brother, Ponyboy, is also in our little gang. He's fifteen and a sophomore. He's into reading, writing, and movies. I sleep in the bed with him at night to keep the nightmares away, especially since they got worst last year. Darry is in the gang too. He's twenty-one, but seems a lot older. He grew up too fast, he was forced to. Me and Pony were put under his care when mom and dad died, he was just a kid. He skipped college so we weren't put into a boys' home. And then there's me. I am seventeen almost eighteen years old. I dropped out of school when our parents died so I could work full time to help support us three. I was only passing gym and shop anyway.

Our gang is small. There are only five of us now. There used to be seven, until last year. Two of our buddies, Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston died. We're all still recovering. It's hard losing someone you're close to. Johnny died from injuries from a church fire. Johnny, Ponyboy and Dally went into a burning church to save the children trapped inside. Johnnycake was still inside when the church collapsed. After he died, Dallas couldn't take it. If you knew him, you would know that he was tougher than anyone. If life threw it at him, he could take it. But everyone has their breaking points. He knocked off a convenient store and then was chased to the park by cops. We tried to get there in time to hide him, but we didn't get there in time. We heard the bullets fly, saw him hit the ground, but all I could feel were the tears rolling down my face. Dallas always got what he wanted, he wanted to die. He was a troubled kid, grew up on the streets. Only seventeen. Johnny's parents were always fighting. They ignored him, treated him worse that the dirt they walked on. Made him think he was a mistake. Only sixteen.

Johnny was Pony's best friend. His death has been hard on all of us, but the worst on him. He could barely pull himself out of bed. The nightmares he started having after our parents' accident. I slept in his room to keep the nightmares away, and they did go away. But now some nights even though I sleep in there, he gets them. He always said that he couldn't remember what happened, but I could tell he just didn't want us to worry anymore.

Then there are the girls. I guess you could say they were a part of the gang, but I've never thought of them that way. First there was Two-Bit's girl, Kathy. She had blonde hair (Two was into the blondes) and they had been together forever. She was eighteen and had a lot of classes with Steve. There's Evie, Steve's girlfriend. She was the same age as me and him. She wasn't a greaser like the rest of us. She was a middle class kid. People said she was crazy for dating a greaser when she could've been with someone who could've provided a better life for her, but she loved him and I didn't blame her. Stevie was a great guy. Next there was Dally's girlfriend, Ever Ann. She was nineteen. We could barely pry her from her room, still tore up over his death. I usually went to check on her on my way to work, like I was going to that day. She graduated from school the year before. Ever Ann was best friends with my girlfriend, Hannah. Hann was easily the most beautiful girl in the world. She had long, wavy blonde hair and dark blue eyes, She was always so happy. I'd never seen her drink a drop, but she gets drunk off life. Her smile brightened my day. It's so perfect. She's so perfect.

It was about 10:10 by the time I finished breakfast. I decided that I had time to grab a shower before I headed over to Ever's apartment to check on her. When I got out it was around 10:25. I put my DX shirt on and didn't bother to button it up. As I was walking out the door I looked down at my feet and realized that I had forgotten to put my shoes on. I ran back in and put them on. I hopped into our run down truck and sped across town. I hate driving slow or even the speed limit. I've only been pulled a hand full of times. Darry always gets mad when I come home with a ticket. I can usually charm my way out of getting a ticket, but there have been a couple of occasions when I couldn't.

Darry tried hard not to be a bad parent-like figure. Not hard and abrasive. Tried hard not to yell at me and Ponyboy, but sometimes all the stress got to him and he exploded. Sometimes me and Pony forgot about all the pressure that's put on him. Pony thought that Darry hated him sometimes because he's pushing him to get better grades and go to college. The only reason he dis was because Pony's smart and both me and Darry know that he can. Darry wanted for him to have the life he never got.

When I got to Ever Ann's apartment I didn't bother to knock. She always said that she thinks of us as family. Her house is ours. She told us to just walk in whenever and not to knock or even call to see if we could come. Her door is always unlocked. In case someone needs somewhere to crash for the night, to maybe keep us off the road if we're drunk, to give us a place to go if we're in trouble. My house is the same way, even when our parents were alive. They understood the troubles of the world. They were always there to help.

I found Ever sitting on the couch, empty beer bottles littered her floor, there were smashed ones all over the room, and I noticed that she had another in her hand. She had been crying a lot and that's when I realized what day it was.

It's November 9th. That's why she's so sad. Today would have been his nineteenth birthday. Dally's that is. Dally always talked about how when they were both nineteen he was going to propose to her. She had her nineteenth birthday was two months ago. So today would have been the day.

I grabbed the trash can from the kitchen and proceeded to the living room where she was. She didn't even acknowledge my existence. I picked up all the tinted brown bottles and threw them away. I got the broom and swept up the mess of the broken ones. Then I tried to pry the one in her hand away from her. She had a death tight grip on it.

"No, not until I can't feel anything anymore," she said unsteadily. I looked into her grass green eyes that used to be bright with life, filled with love that are now troubled and depressed. I stroked her long, straight dark brown hair that went down to her elbows.

"Ev, please, let me get you cleaned up. Let me help," I said in a soft, sensitive voice. She threw the unfinished beer bottle across the room. It hit the wall, glass and beer going everywhere. She threw her arms around my neck and cried into my shirt. I grabbed her legs and picked her up. She's much lighter now than I remember, but I didn't say anything about it. I walked her into the bathroom and set her on the counter. After a few minutes of trying to figure out how to turn the shower on, I got it. I grabbed a towel from her room and told her to shower. She didn't object. While she was in there I called my boss and told him that I was going to probably be a little late. He said it was fine as long as I can make up the time I miss tomorrow. I told him that I would. I picked out an outfit for her and laid it in the bathroom. When she got out she laid on her bed.

"Come on, Ever. Sit up so I can brush and braid your hair." She did. My mom had taught me how to braid hair on my ex-girlfriend Sandy. I've always liked braiding hair. Especially Ever and Hannah's, their hair is so long and easy to do. I brushed her wet head and did french-braided pigtails. When I finished I asked her, "Do you want your makeup done? I'm taking you to work with me." She nodded her head and pointed to the dresser where her makeup was laying.

From years of watching Sandy, Hannah, Ever, and Evie do their makeup, I learned how. I put a thin line of black eyeliner on both upper eyelids. Then I put another on the bottom. I mixed the dark brown and gold eye shadows like I've seen her do so many times before, and then applied some to each eye. I put the jet black mascara on her eyelashes. I didn't have to put concealer and foundation on her like Sandy used to cake on her face. Hannah doesn't wear that stuff either. They have naturally flawless faces. Plus, both Ever and Hann believe that a woman shouldn't cover up their face like that. There's no point.

When I got everything done, I made her some lunch since it was almost noon. She told me that she wasn't hungry, but I could hear her stomach growl. I found some ham and cheese in the fridge, but that was all. There was piece of bread in the bread box. I made her a half sandwich and had her eat while we were in the car.

We made it to the station, only thirty minutes late. I immediately went to the drawer behind the counter where I keep anti-anxiety pills for Hannah. There was half of a bottle left, so I shook two out and put the bottle back. She bought a Coke from the machine and gladly took the pills. I let her sit behind the counter with me. It was a slow day today. Only one stuck up Soc brought a car in for repair and three Greasers needed gas. All of them, even the Soc, hit on Ever like she was a piece of meat. I almost had to pry one of the greasers' eyes from her chest with a crowbar.

That's one thing I couldn't stand. Womanizers. They get on my last nerve. They treat women like shit. No one deserves to be treated like that. They think a woman is just there for their entertainment. It's wrong.

At around 2:45, when school gets out, business picks up a bit. Kids come in to fill up their gas tanks for the rest of the week; they grab snacks before they go home. Girls come in and crowd around me. They say that I'm handsome, but I've never thought of myself that way. I have wheat-gold hair that I grease back and lively brown eyes. Pony told me that I was handsomer than anyone he knew. I always said "sure" and rolled my eyes. I have a reckless grin. I'm pretty much crazy; at least that's what Hannah says.

When Hannah walked in the crowd of girls dispersed. For some reason they're scared of her. Probably because Hannah is a tough greaser and they're weak, preppy Socs. She had curled her hair today. The dirty blonde under parts of her hair mixed with the bright blonde parts at the top. She only put on mascara today, and looked even more beautiful than usually. The only other makeup she was wearing was the bright red lipstick. She looks really nice in red. She wore a black cardigan over a red camisole with dark wash skinny jeans. Her white converses commented the outfit perfectly.

Hannah walked right over to me and planted a nice kiss on my lips. She noticed Ever sitting right next to me and ran behind the counter. She hugged her tightly and for the first time Ever actually did something without being forced, she hugged her back.

"I'm gonna take you out to dinner tonight, Evs," Hannah said, still embracing her. "We'll all go out. Just us girls. Me, you, Kathy, and Evie. We can go to the Dingo." Ever seemed a little apprehensive at this, she hasn't been out of her house except coming here, my house, and Hannah's house.

"I guess," Ever said in a small voice. She still had teary eyes and was still drunk. Hannah took one whiff of her breath and said, "Ever, baby, have you been drinking?" When Ever didn't answer, Hannah looked at me, her soft eyes turned hard. Her face that was normally calm had her jaw was clenched in anger. "Has she been drinking, Sodapop?" I avoided her eyes. Last month she came to Ever's apartment and cleaned out all of the alcohol. Then she made sure we all knew that she was not to have any alcohol.

"Sodapop!" she yelled. She didn't need my answer, she could tell by the guilty look on my face. "What did I tell you guys about that?"

"I didn't give it to her," I said calmly. "I don't know who did. Just when I got there, there were bottles everywhere." Her eyes softened but her jaw was still set. She turned to Ever and took her hands in her own.

"Ever, sweetie, who gave it to you?" Hannah asked as calmly as possible.

"Buck did," Ever said quietly. Buck Merrill was the guy that owned the bar Dally lived above. He's scum. We didn't bother telling him this new rule because we never thought Ever would contact him or vice versa.

"I'm going to kill him," Hannah said angrily.

"Just calm down, baby," I said to her. I planted a kiss on her forehead to calm her down and it worked. She hugged me and said, "I am. I'm gonna take her home with me and try to sober her up before we go out tonight. I love you, Pepsi-Cola." Pepsi-Cola was the nickname my dad gave me when I was a kid.

"Alright, Hannah Banana, I love you too. Love you, Ever." She said something inaudible back, but I'm pretty sure it was along the lines of 'love you too'.

They left me in the lull of the afternoon. It was only 3:30. I had two and a half hours until I could go home. Great.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When I got home from my shift that night, Ponyboy and Darry were jumping down each other's throats again. They had been having arguments like this a lot lately. Pony would get home late, he would get a lower grade on a test than usual, he wouldn't do the dishes, he would forget to do his homework and Darry would scream his head off at him. The kid was just trying to have fun I understand, but he doesn't need to be shrugging off his responsibilities. The both of them are just too tense for their own good. I thought they would be done with the fighting after our scene in the park last year. It had stopped for a while, but then Pony started rebelling. A little rebellion is good, like coming home late on a Friday or Saturday night, not do the dishes one or two times, not doing your homework like once or twice a month. But coming home late almost every night during the week, never doing his chores, only doing his homework once or twice a month like Ponyboy was is too much. It's not like him at all. Darry's yelling wasn't work so I decided that I'll talk to him.

I walked in to see Pony's green-grey eyes dilated with anger. His brown almost-red hair with blonde at the tips since it hasn't grown out completely from last year was matted and wet. He was clad only in a pair of tight fitting blue jeans. Darry's pale blue-green eyes were icy as ever. His muscular shoulders looked tense, just as his jaw was. He was yelling at Pony for a B- on a test. Pony said that he was trying his best, but Dar was convinced that was bull.

I hung my jacket up next to the brown leather woolen jacket Dallas had given to Pony before him and Johnny ran away to Windrixville. I stepped between the two, cutting off whatever they were yelling at each other. I pulled Pony away to our room and left Darry in the living room mid-shout.

"Stay here, Pone, I'll go calm him down," I said after I got the kid to sit on the bed. I shut the door and sat Dar on the couch. "Darry, Pony really is trying his best. This is hard on him." He opened his mouth to speak and I cut him off, "And don't go giving me the 'it's been a year, he should be over it' speech because we both know that it's bullshit. He lost his best friend; they were best friends for years. This is his way of coping and recovering, you can't yell it outta him, Dar. It won't work." I immediately got up without giving Darry a chance to say anything. I entered Pony's room and sat on the bed next to him.

'Soda, am I causin' a lot of trouble?" Pony asked quietly, tremendously calmed down from a minute ago. I looked him in his eyes which the pupils are back to their regular size and decided to tell him the truth.

"Not a lot, honey, but a little, yes. We're just worried about you. We remember just what happened when you ran off, you didn't come home for a while," I said immediately wanting to take it back. I felt like a major ass bringing that up, but I did. "Pone, we love you. Darry does love you, I know it may not seem like it a lot of the time but he does. His yelling is like showing that he cares." I knew that it sounded like bullshit as soon as it came out of my mouth, but there was no going back. I told him about rebellion and how a little was alright, but he's been doing too much. "You don't wanna end up like me, okay? A dropout. I know that sometimes you think that is best, but it's not. You are too smart for that." I didn't want to ask him, but I had to. "Pony, is this rebellion stuff your way of dealing?" I asked tenderly as if I was walking around a sleeping baby.

"No. Yes. Maybe. I dunno, Soda. I just miss him. He was like my only real friend. I could always count on him, he was always there for me and he's gone. He's never coming back. I just… I…" He started crying so I pulled him into me and let him cry on my shoulder. Once he's all cried out I led him into the living room where Darry was still sitting, probably mulling over what I said. I sat on the couch between the two. I looked back and forth between them.

"Now, Darry, you gotta stop yelling at Pony all the time. And Pony you gotta stop all this. I don't wanna come home to fighting all the time. I love you both and I hate it when y'all fight. Please." Darry was the first to do anything. He reached around me and gave me a hug. I returned it. I could feel Ponyboy sitting there awkwardly so I said, "Get over here, kid." He threw his arms around both of us and buried his head in my neck. We sat like this for a few minutes before we heard the door open. Pony looked up and gasped. I followed his gaze, it landed on two girls. Well more like women, two drop dead gorgeous women, one being my girlfriend and the other being an almost unrecognizable Ever Ann.

Pony has always had a little crush on Ever, but never said anything about it because Dallas would kill him. But it was always written all over his face. Ever didn't look like an emotional wreck like earlier that day, but pulled together, calm, like she was before the incident. I don't know how Hannah did it, but she did. I'm glad that she did.

I got up, went over to Hannah, picked her up, spun her around, and kissed her. When I put her down I whispered in her ear, "You are a miracle worker." She whispered back, "I know."

Pony hadn't seen Ever in a while so the prolonged hug had an excuse. While Pony, Darry, and Ever caught up me and Hannah went into mine and Pony's room to talk.

"What was all that that me and Evs walked into, hun?" she asked.

"Dar and Pone were fighting again," I said exasperated. She had a look of bewilderment, but tried to erase it quickly.

"Again?" she asked matching my tone. I took her hands and looked her in the eyes, but didn't say anything. I love how they were blue when you looked at them straight on, but when she looked away they were a light gray. I love the freckles that dotted her face. She scrunched her nose, knowing that I'm holding something back and said, "Pepsi-Cola, please tell me what's bothering you." I took one look in her eyes and folded.

"I'm just sick and tired of being the mediator between those two. They're brothers, goddamn it! What makes them fight so much? They're always at each other's throats just waiting for the other one to throw the first punch. They… they just… they worry me sometimes… I'm afraid they're gonna get into a fight and they're never going to forgive each other. Neither of them willing to forgive the other first. I… I'm always in the middle… they always want me to pick a side… I can't do it… I can't…" Hannah pulled me to her chest, like I had done to Pony mere minutes and many times before.

"Shhh, baby, it's okay. We're all gonna be okay." When I had calmed down and I was back to my happy self, we joined the others. Ever and Pony were sitting on the couch talking about some book. I bent down and whispered in Hannah's ear, "Nerds." We both laughed at this. Darry was getting ready for a date with a girl whose name slipped my mind. Hannah had to leave soon because her mom needed her home, she was taking Ever with her and dropping her here in the morning so I can take her to work with me. Hann decided that she doesn't need to be alone, and I agree completely. This is as close to happy as I've seen her.

"Sodapop, we haven't gone out in a while," Hannah crooned into my ear. I love the feeling of her hot breath on my neck.

"Well then I'm taking you out tomorrow!" I said with my crooked, reckless grin. I gave her a peck on the lips as she left. I looked over at Pony to see him giving Ever one on her forehead. Once they both left I looked over at Pony and said, "Keep it in your pants, okay?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The next day I woke up and automatically panicked. It was 5:38 and I had to be at work at 6:00. The DX was fifteen minutes away. I got up out of the bed and rushed to my closet. I threw the pale blue uniform shirt on my bare back. There was a pair of jeans on the floor so I put those on. Ever was sitting on the couch staring into nothingness when I came out of the bedroom. I grabbed my shoes and the keys and said "Come on, Ev. I woke up late and I need to be there soon." She didn't say anything; she just silently followed behind me. I opened her door for her like my momma had taught me too and helped her get in. That was the first time she looked me directly in the eyes since the incident. The cloudiness had dispersed and they almost looked like her eyes again. She smiled a bright smile that two days ago the only way I'd be able to see would be in pictures.

"Well good morning to you too, Sodapop!" Ever said. She ruffled my hair, then swung her legs in the truck and closed the door in my face; I had to have looked shell shocked. I hadn't seen her normal like this in a long time. She was actually smiling and talking without someone pushing her to. It was amazing, or at least I thought so. I ran to the other side of the truck and got in. I drove a little slower than usual, but I was still going pretty fast.

When I got to the station it was 5:56. I went to unlock the doors, but they already were. I thought that Steve forgot to lock them after his late shift last night. I let Ever in before I went around to the garage to clock in. Tools were laying all over the ground, but I didn't think much of it until I caught sight of a switchblade coated with a thick crimson red liquid. I walked around to the other side of the car and found my best friend Steve Randle lying there unconscious. He was bleeding out of his stomach. I sprinted inside the store and yelled for Ever.

"Ever, call an ambulance! Quick!" I shouted. She ran to the phone and dialed the number. I got the towel from the employee bathroom and ran back to Stevie's side. I ripped his shirt off and applied the towel to the still bleeding wounds. There were five stab wounds. Ever showed up behind me two seconds before I heard the sirens, she pushed me aside and held the cloth to his stomach. She could tell that I was shaking from head to toe from how scared I was. When the medics got there they put him on a gurney and hurried him to the hospital.

"Pepsi, look at me," Ever said. I had just realized the tears forming and that I was staring off into space.

"The medics want me to come with, but if you need me here I don't have to go."

"Stay with me?" I asked choking back the lump that formed in my throat.

"Always." She waved at the medics to go without her and they sped off without a question. She walked me back into the store and took me to the bathroom. After a second of the faucet spewing rusty water, a rush of clean water came out. She got my hands and lathered them in soap. My best friend's blood came off when she stuck them under the warm water. After she finished washing mine, she washed her own.

The image was still burned into my mind. The dark brown hair that always greased back in complicated swirls was matted and covered with dirt. His green eyes half opened pleading for help, his limp body, the painful moan coming from his mouth, the crimson blood oozing from the wounds, the blood that had already pooled on the floor.

"Soda? Soda, did you hear me?" Ever asked. She had been saying something but I missed it.

"What?" I asked groggily. She took me by the hand and led me to the counter.

"I asked what time you get off work today." She bought a Coke from one machine and a Pepsi from the other, knowing that I prefer Pepsi over Coke. She got the anti-anxiety pills from the drawer and shook two from the bottle. I assumed they were for her, but she walked over and held them out to me.

"Take these, they help. Really," she said. I twisted the cap off the glass bottle and took a swig swallowing the pills with it.

"I get off at noon," I managed.

"Well then let's just hope that between now and noon no one comes in. Or if someone does come in, they just want to buy something. Go lay on the cot, I'll man the counter and phone." After I didn't move she said, "Please, Soda? As much as you've done for me! Let me do this for you, please." I thought for a minute.

"Fine, but if you need me holler," I said reluctantly. I didn't deem it a good idea, but she really wanted to. I slowly walked to the back room where the workers take there breaks. For some reason they put a cot back here, but I never questioned it. I lay down and closed my eyes, expecting to evade sleep, but in a matter of seconds I'm asleep.

I was being shaken awake by a figure.

"Soda," it said. I just rolled over and moaned. "Soda, wake up. Soda. Sodapop Patrick Curtis, if you don't wake up right now."

"I'm up, I'm up," I said stifling a yawn. I flipped back over to see that the figure was Ever. She had a smirk on her face.

"Mornin', sunshine, it's time to go. I'll drive so you don't have to. C'mon, let's go!" I slowly got out of the bed and walked to the truck, Ever had already started it when I got there.

"Where are we goin', Ev?" I asked.

"To see Stevie, of course." I was confused at first and then I remembered what happened this morning. The whole image came back to me and I started to feel sick.

"Pull over, Ev."

"Why? What's up?"

"Pull over, please," I begged. She obliged and I immediately opened the door, stuck my head out, and vomited. She reached over and rubbed my back. When I finished we were off again.

The nurse at the front desk told us to go to room 539B. The 5th floor was the recovery floor. I remember that from last year. Dally was on the 5th floor and Johnny was on the 6th, the intensive care floor. We walked up the stairs to his room. The nurses cleared us to go in, so we knocked on the door and walked in.

His dark brown hair had the grease washed out of it and his green eyes flicked to the door with excitement. He had a big bandage wrapped around his abdomen and his hospital gown was lying on the floor in a small heap.

"Hey, man!" I said. I walked over to the chair next to his bed and sat down in it.

"Hey, Pepsi-boy!" I tried to ignore how weak his voice was.

"How ya feelin', buddy?" He tried to change his position, but winced and settled back in the same place.

"Oh, I'm great! The service here is amazing! All I have to do is say that I'm hungry and they'll bring me soemthin'! Oh, it's just great!" Steve said dryly.

"Yeah, it must be hell, huh?"

"That is an understatement. I want out of here! It's like I'm stuck in a jail cell!"

"Yeah, I understand." There was a slight silence.

"Hey, Sodapop?" Steve said.

"Yeah?"

"Will you stay with me for the rest of the day and tonight? I don't like this place."

"Of course I'll stay! As long as your nurse is hot," I joked. Then I realized that me and Hannah were supposed to go on a date that night. I could only hope she'd understand why I needed to stay.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

At around the time school got out Ever took my truck and went to my house where everyone goes after school. She decided that she'd tell everyone what happened. I would have but I didn't want to leave Steve.

Steve was really pale and he was shaking. The nurses came in to run more tests and to change his bandages every couple hours. They would tell him not to move and he would tell them that he's not planning on it. To pass time he would hit on the nurses and occasionally I would help.

When Ever came in the room she was trailed by a weeping Evie, a stone-faced Two-Bit, a bleary-eyed Ponyboy, a calmed down Hannah that had traces of make-up running down her face, and an emotionless Darry. Evie's chocolate brown irises were surrounded by red and tears pouring from them. She was on the short side, only being 5'3". She immediately ran to his side, her curly blonde highlighted locks falling in her face. Two-Bit stood beside me and the other side of the bed. When he saw the blood that was seeping through the bandages covering Steve's abdomen, his emotionless grey eyes flickered with pain for a moment. His light brown hair was stuck up in places, almost looked like he had been running his hands through it out of frustration. He tried to fake a smile for Steve's sake but failed.

"Hey, buddy," he said when Steve and Evie had finished their love fest. "How ya feelin'?"

"Nothin' actually. They've injected me with so much shit that I can't feel anything," Steve said honestly, which solicited a whimper from Evie. I got up, letting Two-Bit have my seat, and walked over to Hannah. Her and Ever were off to the side talking quietly. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and said, "Hey, baby, can we talk outside real quick?"

"Sure, hun," she said sweetly as I took her hand. I loved how soft hers felt in my hard, calloused hand. I closed the door behind us. "What's up, babe?"

"I have to cancel our date tonight, Hann."

"What?!" she yelled. I winced at how loud she was, all the heads in the hall turned towards us in curiosity.

"I have to be with Steve. I'm sorry."

"He has plenty of fucking people! I know that you are best friends and all, but you always cancel our plans! You cancel them for Ever! You cancel them for work! You cancel them for everything! I'm second in your life! For everything!" She was close to tears. "Why do you feel the need to stay?!"

"When I just found him like that… he had the late shift last night from eleven o'clock to three… I wanted to take it with him, but he said no… he asked me to stay, Hann…" I felt hot tears stinging my own eyes; I turned to the wall and punched it out of frustration. She cautiously rubbed my back, knowing how reckless I get when I'm like that.

"It's alright babe. I didn't mean to explode like that, I'm sorry."

"No… don't feel bad. I shouldn't keep cancelling. I'm sorry," I chocked through the tears.

"It's alright, babe. If it was Ever, I'd do the same thing." We sat on the bench across from the room.

"Speaking of Ever, how did you do that?" I asked calming down.

"What do you mean?" she asked confusedly. She cocked her head to the side and furrowed her eyebrows.

"She's her old self. It's honestly a miracle."

"Oh, that. I gave her my mom's old anti-depressants." Her eyes immediately were down cast. Her mom committed suicide two years ago. Her dad is an alcoholic now, which is one of the reasons she was so strict on Ever not having any alcohol.

"How much do you have left?" I asked.

"Enough for about two months."

"What's gonna happen when you run out?" I asked, not wanting to know the answer.

"I honestly don't know, honey."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I woke up cramped up in the chair beside Steve's bed. The room was emptied except for Steve, Ever and I. Everyone else having to go to work or school. Ever was bringing in a tray that had orange juice, toast and eggs on it.

"Oh, morning, Sodapop," she greeted me brightly. "I'm glad you woke up before your breakfast got cold. Stevie's is coming when he gets up. The docs don't want us to wake him. His condition is stable, but that's all I could pry from the…" Ever went on calling the doctors every name she could think of and in some in cases make up. It was the most I had ever heard her speak at one time in a long while.

"Oh, okay, he's gonna be okay, right?" I asked, sounding more like pleading than I meant it to.

"Don't sound so much like a puppy that wants my food, Pepsi-Cola," a rough, dry voice said. I looked over to the bed and saw Steve's green eyes contrast his washed out, pale face. They were filled with humor and pain. I painted a smile on my face to hide how broken I was feeling. I felt that this was my fault. My fault for not ignoring him, my fault for not working that graveyard shift with him. Steve probably doesn't blame me, but it's my fault. Steve's voice broke my thoughts, "I'm gonna be fine, Sodapop. I always am."

I couldn't stop thinking about how Pony was acting when he got here last night. Pony usually isn't such a bawl baby anymore. Plus, he and Steve can't stand each other. Pony doesn't think that I know it, but I can tell that he hates him and how much Steve resents him. He thinks Pony is a tag-a-long, he thinks he's just a kid. He isn't. He grew up just like we did. Steve should remember what it was like when he was that age. Never getting invited places, never feeling like you're wanted. So, I invite Pony to come places with us if we weren't taking girls with us. Steve has told me how he feels about Pony coming with us, but I just ignored what he said. Pony's a good kid, nice, mature, he can handle this stuff. When we would go out now and I asked Pony to come, the answer nine out of ten times would be no. He would say he has stuff to do, but he would go out with his friends from the track team or Curly Shepard. It's not that I minded it's just that Pony ain't falling into the right crowd. It's not like I fell into the right crowd either, we were born in the wrong crowd. That's just the way things are. I know that he can pull himself out of here and be better that this place. He just is such a good kid and these hoods ain't who he needs to be hanging with.

We did the same thing that day that we did the day before. We hit on nurses, talked, ate, and slept. The day was basically quite boring, no change in scenery, just the same sterile white room with the same colorful buttons and the same daisies on the bedside table. I hated it and I knew that Steve must have too. Ever kind of rolled her eyes and sighed when we would hit on a nurse, but never said anything just to let us have our fun, I appreciated it. The same crowd rolled in, except for Darry, when school got out. Darry had told me he was picking up some extra work to try and help with Steve's medical bills.

Ever had been really quite today, when we asked her something she would shake or nod her head or just shrug, letting her body language do all the talking. She never was talkative, but she used to at least answer us. The only thing I could think was that she heard me and Hannah last night, but I sure as hell hoped she didn't though. She already had enough things go wrong in her life, she doesn't need to know how exactly Hannah feels about their friendship, too.

Hannah could tell that there was something wrong with Ever, but she wouldn't budge.

"Ever, please, tell me what's wrong so I could help," Hannah begged. She was kneeling next to the chair Ever was sitting in, pleading with her eyes.

"You wanna know what's wrong?" Ever snapped. "My best friend resents me!" Ever got out of her seat and started to walk away, but Hannah grabbed her wrist.

"What are you talking about?" she asked calmly.

"I heard you two last night and I'm tired of pretending that I didn't! I didn't know he was cancelling with you to hang out with me! If I did I would have kicked him out and made him hang out with you! I'm sorry!"

"Now don't you go feeling sorry for me! You know why he hangs out with you? 'Cause he pities you! That's why we all hang out with you! We all pity you! The only reason I started talking to you in the first place was because Dal was like a brother to me! We're all hurting over this! Not just you! You milk it so badly! We all miss him! Get over yourself! You're just a druggie! You have to pop pills just to feel normal! You have a problem! And really I don't care anymore! I don't! I don't love you or even remotely like you and I'm tired of pretending! Stop hanging around my boyfriend! 'Cause he doesn't love you either!" By the time Hannah finished she was breathing hard and everyone in the room was silent. We were all staring wide eyed at Hannah. Ever's eyes were filled with tears, but she didn't let them break through. She wasn't going to give Hannah the satisfaction. With her wrist freed, she walked over to the chair she was sitting in and grabbed her jacket. When she got to the door she turned back and gave a weak smile.

"Thanks," said Ever. She turned on her heels and slammed the door on her way out. The room was still dead silent long after she was gone. We all stared at Hannah with our mouths hanging open and our eyes bulging from our heads.

"S-soda," Hannah stammered. "W-what did I j-just do?"


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I spent the rest of the day and most of the night calming Hannah down. I had sent Two-Bit to find Ever, but when he came back he didn't have her with him. He said that she wasn't at her house, our house, his house, or Buck's bar. We decided to just give her space, she needed it. Hannah felt really bad about the whole situation, but there was nothing she could do to take back what she said, to take back the hurt. When Hannah gets angry, she turns into a bitch. She hadn't had a good day, first her dad had hit her, then she failed a test, then her math teacher yelled at her for sleeping in class, and she was just having a bad day. Ever yelling at her didn't help it, but that doesn't make it an excuse either. None of what Hannah said was true, none of it. None of us pitied her, or hung out with her out of pure pity. She had the right to be the way she was. Her and Dal were together for a long time about six years, ever since she had moved here. He was her first time, her first love. We all love her, even Hannah. She didn't mean a drop of what she said and kicked herself for it. We tried to make her feel like she wasn't a horrible person, but she wouldn't take it.

A nurse came in and told us that Steve should be released in two days. The wounds had been stitched up and bandaged pretty well. Steve asked me if I would sign him out and take him to my house. His dad probably wouldn't be conscious and if he was he didn't came and wouldn't come. I obliged and went to call my boss.

"Hey, boss man!" I said when he answered.

"Hi, Curtis, whatcha need?" he asked. He had told us to call only for emergencies.

"Yeah, Steve is getting released from the hospital on Friday and he needs me to take him home. I wanted to ask if it'd be okay to change my morning shift to the afternoon night shift."

"Yeah, man, just make sure Steve gets better, okay?" he said. Then, before I could get the chance to answer, there was a long monotone beeping noise indicating he had hung up. My boss wasn't the nicest person on Earth, but he was my source of income and I had to put up with it.

On Friday the nurses came in and did their final tests. They deemed him okay to be released, so I signed him out and took him to my house. I let him rest on my old bed and got him a piece of chocolate cake. Steve loves chocolate cake. He likes mine the best because of all the sugar I put in the frosting, but Pony likes Darry's more. He says that it's just too much sugar for him.

I went to the DX at three o'clock for my shift, leaving Steve at my house with Evie to take care of him. About an hour into my shift I saw Ponyboy come in with the theater kids. The middle class and Soc kids. I've never seen Pony with them before, our gang has always made fun of them. When Pony saw me working the counter, he immediately tried to separate himself from the crowd.

"Hey, Sodapop, I didn't know you were working!" Pony said nervously.

"Hey, Pony! These your friends?" I asked with one eyebrow cocked, a trick I learned from Two-Bit.

"Uh, yeah, uh they are."

"C'mon, Pony, we got practice," one of the people from his group said. He looked at them and then back at me.

"Is that where you've been all this time, Pone?" I asked.

"Yeah…" Ponyboy said.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"'Cause I know how y'all are about drama kids. I've always wanted to, but I never did until now."

"Well, boy howdy, do I have something to tell the guys?! Pony, we're always gonna find somethin' to pick at you about, but I support you in this."

"Thanks, Sodapop."

"No problem. Now get goin'! I don't want you being late!" He turned on his heels and joined the group as they left. He turned back to me and I flashed him my million dollar smile and gave him a thumbs smiled and hurried out the door.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hannah met me at work on Friday, she was wearing a little black dress that didn't cover near enough skin, a pair of black stilettos, she wore her hair straight, and she had put on the ruby red lipstick that she knows drives me nuts. It was 6:30, the time that I had to clock out. We had decided to go on a date that night. There aren't many nice places to go around here, so I decided to go a town or two over. I felt rather underdressed, wearing a red and black long sleeve plaid flannel and jeans. Wordlessly we got into the truck and drove off. I looked her up and down, she's always beautiful but that night she looked stunning. She slid over to the middle of the seat, closer to me. I placed a hand on her knee and rubbed up and down her thigh.

"I don't have to go home tonight, you know?" she said seductively, breaking the silence. I cocked an eyebrow, not saying anything. "And all you have to do is call Darry and tell him you're not gonna be there." It was hard for me to even believe what she was suggesting. We had never done anything together. Sure, we had both done stuff with other people before we got together, but we never did with each other.

"Well, I can do that," I said coarsely. I could feel myself being aroused. "But, I made us reservations at a restaurant."

"Well, we can do that first." She placed her mouth to my ear and blew hot breath on it. "Or…" her voice trailed off and I followed her eyes to the exit sign, there was a notorious pay by the hour motel coming up. She placed her lips on the nape of my neck and whispered a barely audible, "Please." I quickly got into the exit lane. When we got up to the motel she dragged me to the front desk and impatiently waited for him to give us a key. When we got into the room I ran to the bathroom and bought a condom from the machine, I placed it in my shirt pocket. When I came back, Hannah was standing the in just her stilettos and a lace bra and thong, I suddenly felt overdressed. I quickly unbuttoned my shirt and flung it aside. She backed me up against the wall and started kissing me, passionately, deeply. She fumbled with the button of my jeans and when she couldn't get it she let me. I stepped out of my jeans and tossed them aside. I shoved her toward the bed, and finally got what I had been anticipating.

Saturday morning I woke up to see Hannah's lipstick smeared off and her eye make-up rubbed round her face. I planted a tiny kiss on each of her freckles. As I did this I saw her blue eyes flutter open and a sleepy smile dance across her face.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," I said quietly.

"Morning, Pepsi-Cola," she replied. She looked at me confused for a minute and then said, "Why do you have lipstick all over your face?" I didn't answer, just smiled and shook my head. I wondered about what Pony and Darry would be doing right now and then I shot up.

"Shit!" I exclaimed. "I forgot to call Darry!" I quickly got dressed and washed my face, then helped Hannah do the same. We jumped in the truck after paying and sped home.

Forty-five minutes later we showed up at my house. Darry was sitting in the kitchen reading the paper and Pony was making breakfast. I walked up to the table and said "Let me have it."

"Why didn't you call?" Darry said. Only looking up from his paper briefly.

"It was a caught up in the moment thing… I… uh…" I stammered.

"It's okay, little buddy. Sit with us and have breakfast." We complied. I heard Pony scoff something along the lines of 'and you're telling me to keep it in my pants!'.

After we ate we sat around and talked for a while. Darry finally brought up something about last night.

"You used protection, right?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course!" Hannah exclaimed before I could say anything. But then I remembered the condom sitting in my pocket, unopened.

"FUCK!" I yelled. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. I reached in my pocket and laid it on the coffee table. A collection of gasps enclosed the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

_'What am I gonna do? Oh, shit. I work at a gas station! I can't afford to take care of a child! What am I gonna do?' _is all that was running through my head while I was getting yelled at by Darry. Hannah tried to calm me down, but what was she doing trying to calm me? Isn't she the one that could be pregnant? Isn't she the one that should be freaking out? I looked into her beautiful blue eyes and saw the fear that filled them. I saw how well she was holding it back. I saw how scared she was and how much she needed someone to be calm for her. I pulled myself together.

"Okay," I said once I was completely calm, "we need to make you a doctor's appointment. I need to be sure that you are and then we can make a plan." Everyone in the room nods and stays quiet.

"How could you let something like this happen, Sodapop?" Darry asked as calmly as possible after a while. I couldn't stop thinking about how he never understood. I felt my anger rising.

"It was an in the moment thing! Haven't you ever just forgotten when you're there? Oh, yeah, I forgot! You're Mr. Perfect!" He looked almost hurt for a second and then hid it.

"No, I haven't just forgotten. You're starting to sound an awful lot like Ponyboy. You're starting to stop using your head. You're starting to think more below the belt than above. I thought you were different than all the other boys, I thought you could use your head." Darry grabbed the keys to the truck and his jacket and stormed out of the door. Hannah put a reassuring hand on my back.

"It's alright, Sodapop, we're gonna be just fine," she said. "We're gonna be just fine. I love you, baby."

"I love you, too, honey. I'm so sorry, so sorry." I felt hot tears running down my face. She wiped the tears from my face and kissed my forehead.

We made the doctor's appointment for Monday after school. We were both nervous. It wasn't that I woudn't have minded being a dad, it's just that Hannah has another year of high school and I work at a gas station, it'd be near impossible to raise a child. I wanted children, but not until she was graduated and ready and I had a decent job.

When Hannah got out of school I picked her up and headed to the doctor's office. I signed us in and sat in the waiting room for a nurse to call us back to see the doctor. I sat as close to her as possible and held her hand. We had talked and said that no matter the outcome of the appointment, neither of us would leave the other; we were both in it for the long haul. We sat in silence before the nurse came out.

"Mr. and Mrs. Curtis?" the nurse called. I had made the appointment under my last name and said we were married to get rid of any suspicions and questions that may come our way. Hannah's last name was really Waters. We got up and followed the redheaded nurse to the back.

The doctor was already in the room. He was about five foot six and had a partially bald head.

"So, Mr. Sodapop," he said in a voice as cold as ice. "I'm Dr. Schumacher. I have to take your wife and do some tests. I need you to stay here and I will bring her back when I'm done." And without me saying anything he whisked her away. He didn't say anything about us looking too young, or any extra questions. I sat in the room alone, waiting, worrying for another thirty minutes.

He came back in and Hannah was shaking. He told us we had to wait another fifteen minutes for all the results. He left the room and we were alone. I turned to Hannah, who looked more shaken than before.

"Is everything okay? Are you okay?" I frantically inquired.

"He just kept saying 'hmmm' and 'interesting' and he was scaring me. I'm not ready to be a mom. I'm not. I can't."

"Shhh, baby, it's alright. I know you're scared. I am too. But if that is the outcome, we will be the best parents we can. We have Ever to babysit and all the boys to help. We can do this, I swear. I love you, Hannah Banana." I grabbed her hand and put it between both of mine, then reached over and kissed her on the top of her head.

"I love you, too, Pepsi-Cola," she whispered, almost inaudibly. The doctor quietly slipped into the room a few minutes later. He looked both of us in the eyes and looked almost exasperated.

"Well, I don't know whether this is going to be good news or bad news for you, but probably good because you look so young," the doctor said eyeing me coolly. "You, Mrs. Curtis, are not pregnant." There was an odd silence in the room, I looked over at Hannah and saw tears running down from her eyes, but a smile on her face.

"I'm not pregnant," she said in disbelief. "I'm not pregnant, Pepsi-Cola. I'm not!" She jumped up and gave me a hug. We stood in that embrace for a few minutes. The doc's voice broke in.

"Now, Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, I have a feeling that you didn't want this. I hate to ask, but do you have access to protection?"

"Yes, sir," I said curtly.

"Well, I can also give her birth control unless she is already on it," he said a little more warmly than anything else he had.

"I am not and I would really appreciate it," Hannah explained. He gave her the pills and told her how often to take them. We walked out to the truck hand in hand.

"Thank you, Sodapop," Hannah marveled once we got settled in the truck.

"For what, babe?" I asked.

"For being there for me," she explained.

"Hannah, you're the love of my life. I will always be here for you." I kissed her and started the engine. The ride back to my house was silent; neither of us had too much to say.

When we passed by Ever's apartment I saw a body heaped in front of the door. I slammed on breaks and turned in there. Hannah looked at me confused.

"What are we doing here?" she gulped. "She doesn't want to see me. I know it." I didn't respond, I was too worried about what was in front of the door. It was Ever. She had a bloodied nose and was unconscious. She was wearing a tight black dress that went down hardly centimeters passed her butt, the neckline stopped right above her belly button; her heels were barely on her feet. Her curled hair was matted and dirty. I picked her up and took her inside her apartment. I called Steve and told him to come and be with her. I didn't want me or Hannah around when she woke up.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

I took Hannah home and told her not to worry. But when I got home I started to freak out. The boys, at first, had thought that Hannah was pregnant. But I set it straight.

"Hannah isn't pregnant," I stated.

"Then what's wrong, little buddy?" Darry pressed. He never called me little buddy unless he could really tell that there was something wrong.

"Ever…" I mumbled.

"What about her? Did you see her there?" he trembled.

"No… not there… I saw her lying in a heap in front of her door on the way back." Everyone in the room fell silent. I heard a whimper come from the couch where Ponyboy was sitting.

"Where is she now?" Two-Bit stammered.

"I took her inside and called Steve to stay with her. I didn't want her to be upset if me and Hannah were there when she woke up," I replied.

"I'm gonna go be with her too. Pony, you wanna come?" Two-Bit requested. Pony tried to reply, but nothing would come out so he just nodded. They left quietly and left me and Darry by ourselves.

The next morning I woke up to the phone ringing. I got out of bed and answered it.

"Hello?" I said sleepily.

"D-darry?" the voice on the other end stuttered. The voice sounded like Ever's.

"No, baby, it's Sodapop," I responded carefully. All of a sudden there was a long monotone beep that indicated she hung up. I hated that she felt like she couldn't talk to me. I decided that after school was over I'd take Hannah to go and talk to her. I didn't have to go to work today, so I spent the day cleaning, watching whatever was on, and whatever I could find. On days that I don't work I always pick Hannah up from school. Ten minutes before they let out, I headed down there.

"Hey, Pepsi," Hannah smirked while she was climbing in the bed of my truck. She pecked my cheek while we drove off.

"Hey, baby," I crooned. I didn't want to tell her where I was taking her because I didn't want her to get angry. "How was school?"

"It was horrible!" she groaned. She went on telling me about how some guys in her lunch started to throw grapes around, and then started to target her. I wanted her to keep talking so she wouldn't notice when we passed my house, but it didn't work. "Where are we going, Sodapop?"

"Oh, nowhere," I said trying to avoid her question. She wasn't buying it.

"C'mon, Soda," she pleaded. "Tell me!"

"We're going to Ever's," I mumbled.

"I couldn't hear you. What did you say?" she inquired.

"We're going to Ever Ann's," I stated a little louder as we pulled into the small drive in front of Ever's place.

"Why, Soda?" she stammered. I saw tears forming in her eyes.

"Because you need to set things straight with her."

"What if she doesn't want to?"

"You need to." I got out, opened Hannah's door and helped her out. I went to the door and tried to open it, but it was locked. She never locks her door. But I knocked anyway. I heard footsteps coming towards the door. I heard the door unlock and footsteps walking away from the door. I opened the door and walked in with Hannah trailing me. Her apartment was very dark and dank. The living room had beer, vodka, rum, and just about every type of alcohol on the planet bottles littering the floor. The lamp beside Ever's bed was on so I went in. Ever was sitting there reading a psychology book. She was planning on going to college next year and majoring in psychology. She was wearing one of Dallas's old flannels. There were puckered scar and bruises covering her legs and face. She looked up from her book and shrunk away from us.

"You're not Two-Bit. What are you doing here?" Ever stuttered. I nudged Hannah with my arm to talk.

"We came to set things straight and talk things out," Hannah replied.

"That's what you want to do, Hannah? Or is that what Sodapop pulled outta his ass?" Ever hissed. Neither of us replied we just kind of stood there dumbfounded. "So you wanna talk? Let's talk."

"I'm sorry, Ever. I didn't mean any of the stuff I said to you, I was just angry," Hannah gulped.

"You wanna know something I learned from this book?" Ever snapped. "It's quite interesting actually. When a person becomes angered or frustrated, that little filter in your brain, the one that lets you lie, shuts off and all the truth comes out. So it would be hard to lie. To not mean what you say. So somewhere inside of you feels that way about me." Hannah's tears started pouring down her face.

"I didn't mean any of it, I swear," Hannah stammered.

"Don't start lying to me!" Ever demanded. "You lied to me for the whole fucking time we were friends! I'm tired of it! I just want the truth! For once in my life, I want you to give me the truth!"

"The truth is that I do care about you!" Hannah belted.

"Bullshit! Why should I believe you?" Ever sneered.

"Because it is! I'm not lying!"

"What happened to you not caring? What happened to you not loving me, huh? What happened to me being a druggie? What happened to you all pitying me? What happened to none of you even remotely liking me? What happened to only hanging out with me in the first place because Dal was like a brother to you? What happened to all that? What happened to me milking my sorrow and grief? Huh? I thought that you hated me. I thought I was just a pain in your ass, one more fucking thing you had to put up with," Ever snapped.

"Ever, I'm so sorry for all of that. I didn't mean any of it, I didn't. I do love you. This is the only thing I have been able to think about since it happened," Hannah trembled.

"Then why didn't you come to me earlier?"

"Because I didn't think you would want to talk to me. I thought I was the last person you would ever want to talk to. I'm so sorry. I love you, Ever Ann. I miss you."

"Hannah, I love you. I do. But sorry doesn't fix everything. It's gonna take a while."

"I know and I'm in it for the long haul. I want to earn your trust back."

"Okay," Ever sobbed. I had been looking at the floor the whole time and I looked up to see a rush of tears flowing down her face. She got up from the bed and went over to Hannah. She pulled her into an embrace tighter and closer than I have ever seen them hug. I heard Hannah sobbing apologies to Ever and Ever telling her that everything would be okay.

Once both girls had calmed down, I left them alone and went to buy groceries for Ever. When I got back I made pizza for dinner. After we finished eating dinner I decided to ask about the elephant in the room.

"Ever, what happened?" I inquired carefully.

"Well, Friday I got dressed up and went to the bar. I wanted to get drunk and forget everything. I wanted to find a guy that would give me the best night of my life and I wouldn't remember it in the morning. Shepard was there, rasin' hell and gettin' drunk too. We started to making out in the bathroom. Then I remember him asking if I wanted to go back home with him and have our own little party. I musta said yes because the last thing I remember is him tying me up to a chair. Then I woke up here."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"I'm gonna fuckin' kill him!" I barked. Tim Shepard had messed with the wrong group of friends. He had pulled a lot of crap over the years, but this was the worst.

"Don't worry about him, Sodapop," Ever pleaded. "The point is that I'm fine."

"And I'm glad for that, baby, but he deserves what I'm gonna give him."

"Don't, Soda," Ever bawled. Her eyes were overflowing with tears.

"Why not, Evs?" I mumbled, immediately calmed by the sight of her tears.

"Steve and Two-Bit were gonna take care of it after school today," she muttered. I couldn't believe they knew what happened and didn't tell me, I couldn't believe they didn't ask me to help.

"Okay, baby, I won't worry about it," I lied. I always worried about my girls, no matter what they said. We stayed with Ever until she fell asleep around nine o'clock. I promised her that I'd be back tomorrow after I get off of work at around twelve.

When I got back home from dropping Hannah off at her house, I saw Steve and Two-Bit sitting at the kitchen table cleaning their cuts and bloodied knuckles. They had great big smiles on their faces, so whatever fight they had gotten into, they must have won.

"Well, hey, Pepsi-boy!" Two-Bit called when he saw me walk into the room. "We came lookin' for ya today after school! We coulda used your help!"

"Well, maybe if I didn't have to go get the whole scoop from Ever, I woulda been here," I stated.

"Oh, you went to see Ever?" Steve asked, I nodded in reply. "How was she?"

"She was doin' good. After her and Hannah talked it all out she didn't have much energy left. I made us dinner and after she told us what happened. What happened with Shepard?"

"Well," Two laughed, "he is basically left for dead. I'm tired of that little dirty shit messing with people."

"That's good, I half wanted to go down there and beat the tar outta him myself, but I didn't." They finished telling me about how they took on his whole outfit by themselves, but I didn't believe it. Mainly because it came out of Two-Bit's mouth. Two over exaggerates a bunch. I didn't think that Tim's outfit helped him because he was getting kicks and got caught. Plus, you don't mess with girls like that. The only time us greasers fight amongst ourselves is when it's a fight between two. Tim did something bad to our girl; he pays up, no sweat. If Two and Steve did kill him and his outfit needed us tomorrow, we'd be there. And if we needed them, they'd be there for us too.

"Was it a fair fight? No blades?" I asked when he finished.

"Well Mr. Shepard had one when we got there but quickly threw it out when he saw we were there for his punishment," Two-Bit joked. The only reason I asked was because I wanted to know how rough it was. Now a fair fight isn't all that rough, but blades and heaters and rumbles are rough. Nobody really gets hurt in a skin fight. People rarely die in skin fights.

That night I woke up to yelling and an empty bed. I got up and didn't bother putting any clothes on because I hate them and I saw no point to it. Darry was in the living room yelling at Ponyboy.

"What's goin' on, Dar?" I inquired sleepily. Pony didn't look as frustrated and tired as he usually does when Darry yells at him.

"I just caught our kid brother here trying to sneak out. When I asked him where he thought he was going at this hour, he had the audacity to not answer me. Maybe you can get something outta the kid, Soda," Darry replied walking off. I sat Pony on the couch and stayed quiet for a minute. I looked him straight into the eye before I calmly proceeded.

"Ponyboy, where were you going? Does this have to do with the theater stuff?" I calmly asked.

"No, it doesn't, Soda. I was going to see Ever. I needed to know that she was okay firsthand," Pony mumbled barely looking me in the eye the whole time. I thought for a moment before I pushed onward.

"Ponyboy, Ever is four years older than you. I know that you like her, but if she were looking for a boyfriend it'd be someone closer to her age. This little crush you have goin' is unhealthy. I want you to be happy and as long as you're hung up on her, you're not gonna be, honey. Plus, Ever is into bad boys. Just look at who she's dated. Please, Pony, I want you to be with someone your own age and to be happy. I know that it's hard to just stop liking a person, but I need you to. For your own sake. Please."

"Soda, I just really like her. She's so pretty."

"And that's another thing, what do you really know about her? Just that she's pretty and used to date your buddy, right? There's a difference between love and a crush. What you have is a crush that would probably go away once you learned something about her that you didn't like. Just think on that, Pone." I patted him on the back and went back to bed. A few minutes later Pony came in and lay beside me. As I fell asleep I heard him mutter, "You're right, Sodapop."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

That morning I woke up at 5:30 and took a shower, I was due at work at 6:00. I grabbed a piece of cake on my way out of the door. I managed to tough out the whole day. I told Hannah I'd pick her up after school today since it was a half day. They got out at 12:30. I went home and barely consumed a ham sandwich before I had to leave again. I waited outside of the school for thirty minutes before I decided that she had forgotten and got a ride from Steve or Two-Bit. I went to the DX because I knew Steve would be there. I speeded a little faster than I normally do because I was worried. When I got there I went to the back to see Steve. He was bent over the engine of an old Ford pickup.

"Hey, Steve," I spoke.

"Hey, Sodapop, I thought you were going to see Ever?" he replied not looking up from under the hood.

"Yeah, I was, but I was supposed to pick Hannah up from school, but when she didn't show I assumed you or Two took her with you. Have you seen her?" Steve slowly turned around.

"You mean you don't know where she is? She wasn't at school today," he trembled.

"Shit," I muttered. I ran to my truck and sped over to Ever's to see if she was there. Hannah lived the closest to her so if anything bad that's where she would've gone. I got there in a matter of minutes. After I parked the truck I ran inside.

"Ever?" I called. "Ever? Are you in here?" I started to look around in a panic.

"I'm in the bedroom, and be quiet, will ya?" she retorted. I quickly walked into her room and saw Hannah sleeping on the bed and Ever reading her psychology book on the floor. Hannah looked beat up.

"What happened to her, Ever?" I inquired with new profound urgency. I sat next to her on the floor awaiting her answer.

"She came over here last night, not too long after you left and she was like that. I cleaned her up and helped her calm down, then tucked her in and let her sleep. She hasn't woken up and I'm not planning on waking her because she needs it," Ever reported. She reached over and gave me a hug. She told me to climb in there with her and lay with her. I just nodded in reply. I climbed under the covers and put a protective arm around her. She immediately formed to my body unconsciously like she always does. Ever turned the lamp off that she was reading by, blew the candles out, and closed the door leaving me and Hannah alone. I suddenly realized how tired I really was. I drifted off into sleep.

_I was back in a place that seemed familiar. I thought about that night every day of my life since it occurred. Pony was in the bathroom checking to see if he had any stubble. Me and Steve were sitting at the table throwing cards at each other. The music was cranked too loud and Darry was dressing in a skin tight black shirt that showed off his muscles. We all had too much hair grease in but tonight was the night we could be proud to. _

_"Soda," he called to me, "when did you start shaving?"_

_"When I was fifteen," I yelled back. I found it odd he was asking. _

_"When did Darry?"_

_"When he was thirteen. Why? You figgerin' on growing a beard for the rumble?" Pony made a comment about the Readers' Digest, I didn't catch the whole thing because me and Steve started to arm wrestle and I was completely consumed on beating him. Pony asked another question to us all that I found odd. He asked why we liked fights. We all humored him. _

_The next thing I knew we were all running down the streets doing gymnastics and I was chanting, "I am a greaser. I am a JD and a hood. I blacken the name of our fair city. I beat up people. I rob gas stations. I am a menace to society. Man, do I have fun!" _

_Then all of a sudden I was in the middle of the rumble punching and kicking a soc's head in because he was almost killing my little brother. I couldn't let anybody hurt him. No one. _

_The world spun and the socs were running to their cars. I heard Two-Bit's voice far off announcing that we won. I was kneeling beside Steve, trying to talk to him in a low soothing voice. But all I could think about was that Pony had gone missing. I assumed that he ran off home. I helped Steve all the way back to my house. When we got there Pony was still missing. I was freaking out but Darry wouldn't let me go look for him. I wouldn't calm down despite what the boys were saying. _

_Time seemed to fast forward and Pony walked through the door slowly. He was bleeding badly from his head, but I was relieved he was finally home. I caught myself thinking 'let's not start this again' when Darry asked him where he had been accusingly. Pony was suddenly babbling almost nonsense._

_"Johnny… he's dead. We told him about beating the socs and… I don't know, he just died." Everyone in the room was painfully quiet. I made a whimpering noise and tried to hold back my tears. Johnny was a good kid. Why did he have to go like that? Pony's next words broke my thoughts, "Dallas is gone. He ran out like the devil was after him. He's gonna blow up. He couldn't take it."_

_We were transported to the vacant lot as the shots rang out. I saw Dallas fall to the ground, dead. I caught Steve by the shoulders as he stumbled forward._

_"Easy, buddy, easy," I said softly, "there's nothing we can do now." I heard Two-Bit scream out, "He's just a kid!" The next thing I heard was Ponyboy hitting the ground._

I woke up in a cold sweat, it was the first dream I had had in ages and it scared me. I was careful not to wake Hannah as I crawled out of the bed. I walked in to the living room, closing the bedroom door behind me. Ever was sitting cross legged on the couch still reading the book. Ever loved to read, no matter how much of a hood she was. I sat next to her and tried to read over her shoulder, but I couldn't understand one work on the page.

"Well, hey, there Sleeping Beauty," Ever smirked.

"How long was I asleep?" I asked still hazy from waking up.

"Well it is 7:00, so a while!"

"Did Hannah wake up at all?"

"Yes, she did. She came in and asked the same question you did, then said she was hungry so I gave her a piece of leftover pizza. She ended up puking it up in the toilet. I helped her get cleaned up and sent her straight back to bed after getting her some water." Ever was never one to get over emotional. If she cared about something, she never showed it.

"Oh, how long ago was that?"

"It was about five hours ago, I think."

"One more question, Ev," I stated. She looked at me expectantly.

"How long have you been reading that book? Today, I mean."

"About since the moment I woke up. I cleaned up this dump, made breakfast, made lunch and made dinner reading this book in between. Why?"

"How can you stand it?"

"I just need to get into college and I need to know as much about my major as possible."

"You and Ponyboy, I swear," I mumbled.

"Whaddya mean, Mr. I Can't Bother to Read a Book?" Ever retorted.

"You two are always reading something. You both have probably almost read every book in the world." I heard a little laugh come from the doorway. I looked up to see Hannah leaning up against the door frame. I got up and went to her side immediately. She accepted the kiss I planted on her lips. I went to the kitchen and got her a glass of water at her request. After everyone was settled, me and Hannah snuggled on the couch and Ever sitting cross legged on the floor, partly because the couch can really only fit two and partly because Ever prefers to sit on the floor. Ever was the one to break the silence.

"Hannah, you don't have to explain, but what happened?" she asked sensitively. Hannah flinched a little at the question but took a breath and replied.

"It was my dad. He was way more drunk than usual. He was angry because my mom wasn't home. He demanded I told him where she was and I told him the truth and he didn't believe me. He started hitting me and didn't stop. But all these bruises make me look tough like Ever." She tried to laugh to hide how hurt she was. I tried to do the same with my anger, but miserably failed.

"Hannah, you're eighteen, right? You have the legal right to move out. You can come live here with me. I have plenty of room." This was the apartment that her and Dal had shared for a while. So really it was a little big for one person.

"I would like that," Hannah giggled. I got up from the couch and grabbed my coat.

"I'm going to teach your father a lesson," I thundered as I zipped up my coat.

"No," Hannah insisted, "don't. I don't want you getting hurt. If you do something, do nothing. That's the best you can do with him. Let him live alone as a drunk. I don't give shit anymore."

"What about all your stuff, Hannah Bear?" I asked.

"We'll all go back. He won't take us all on; he ain't got the balls anymore." I decided that I'd take her judgment because she knows him better than I do. I had to get home and report on everything that happened today, so I let the girls stay by themselves telling them that if they needed me they know my number. I gave a hug and kiss to each to them both. The whole way home the dream I had dogged at me. I realized how I haven't gotten over their deaths either.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

When I pulled into the driveway I turned the truck off and just sat there. At first I didn't know why, but soon the dam that I built up a year ago to block the tears and emotions broke. I sat in the driveway for twenty minutes, just crying. I kept thinking about how much I missed them and how neither of them deserved to die. I yelled, I got frustrated, I cursed, I cried. Once I pulled myself together I managed to climb out of the truck. I dragged myself up the steps and through the front door. Ponyboy, Darry, Steve, and Two-Bit were all sitting in the living room when I got there. They saw my puffy, red, tear-stained face and stopped their conversation cold.

"Soda, what's wrong?" Pony asked as he rushed to my side. I didn't say anything, I couldn't bring myself to. I must have almost fallen over because the next thing I knew Darry had his strong hands around my arms holding me up. He walked me over to the couch and sat me in between Steve and Two-Bit. I couldn't hear anything they were saying, the events from a year ago still raced around in my head. Two-Bit placed a reassuring hand on my back when I let a whimpering sound escape my mouth. Steve held me when I began to cry again. I started to yell their names. That was when they finally put the pieces together. Steve picked me up and carried me to my old room. He tucked me into the bed, but I was still crying. He didn't try to console me.

"I know how you feel, Soda," Steve whispered as he left. "Just let it all out."

I cried myself to sleep that night, but in the morning when I woke up I was in the bed I shared with Ponyboy. Pony wasn't there so I assumed that he was already gone to school. It was 11:00 when I checked the clock; I had to be at work at noon. I decided to hop in the shower and wash off the dried streaks of tears from last night. I headed out after I made myself a PB&J for lunch.

When I got to the station I found two tickets written up for a 1961 Chevrolet Impala SS and a 1963 Plymouth. I decided to take a look at the cars and see if there was anything I could work on. Usually working on cars got my mind off of whatever was troubling me. But today was one of the rare exceptions.

As I was looking under the hood of the Impala all the memories came rushing back. I had to take a break from the car before I broke down again. I had barely changed the oil. I heard the jingle of the door and I rushed to greet the customer. Hannah and Ever were standing in front of the counter waiting for me. Hannah reached over the counter and gave me a kiss. Ever looked at me weirdly.

"Pretty boy, I think you got a little somethin' on your face there," Ever remarked. I didn't know what she was talking about so I raised an eyebrow. She motioned from her nose down her cheek and said, "I think it's ruining your complexion, grease monkey."

"Oh!" I exclaimed as I finally got to the bottom of what she was saying. I grabbed the rag from my back pocket and wiped where she pointed to. Both of the girls busted out laughing. I looked down at the rag and saw that it was covered with grease.

"Oh, fuck it," I mumbled. "So, what brings the two prettiest ladies in Oklahoma to this little grease stop?"

"Well, we were just passing through and were hoping to find the hottest guy in this old town cover his face in grease," Hannah smirked. It wasn't time for school to be out so I didn't know why she was here.

"Shouldn't you be in school, baby?" I inquired.

"Nah, I headed up there this morning and dropped out. I wasn't passing most of my classes and I just don't wanna go anymore." I didn't really have any room to criticize her because I dropped out too.

"Oh, well, I'm glad you did what you wanted, baby."

"Sodapop, I'm gonna cut to the chase. Are you okay? Steve called me and told me about what happened last night," Ever spoke. She was never one to beat around the bush.

"Yeah," I lied, "I'm fine. Yesterday when I took that I had a nightmare about that day. Ever since then I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. It was the first time I cried for them, I was always being strong for everyone else. I didn't want everything to fall apart. I couldn't let it." Tears filled my eyes but I didn't let them go. I blinked them back and tried to put on a brave face.

"Soda, it's okay to not be okay," Ever soothed. But for me not being okay is not an option. I always have to be okay, I don't want the world to fall apart. I need to be okay for everyone else. I let a couple tears slip from my grasped. Ever walked around the counter and hugged me. She never showed too much affection so I let her and hugged her back. When she let go I went over and hugged Hannah. She wrapped her arms around me and whispered in my ear, "I love you, Sodapop Patrick Curtis."

"I love you too, Hannah Banana," I whispered back.


	13. Chapter 13

***SMUT WARNING***

Chapter 13

Hannah and I decided to go on a date that Friday night. We wanted to start over after what had happened before. I decided not to take her anywhere fancy for fear that we'd never get to eat anything like the last time. I selected to take her to the Dingo. I had talked to Ever and she said that she would make herself scarce for when we get back so we could be alone, which I appreciate tremendously. She also said that she would make sure that she left protection out just in case I forget. And then she said, "If you ignore the protection and get her pregnant, than I will see to it that you can never have kids." I chose to heed that warning because of how serious she was when she said it. Hannah told me to pick her up at 7:00 on Friday night. I threw on a wide plaid flannel that was red, black, and a creamish color, some nice-ish blue jeans, and my black converse shoes. I ran some grease through my hair, but not too much because Hannah likes it when it falls into my face. I grabbed my wallet and headed out to the truck. When I brought my hand from my side and went to open the truck door I realized how bad I was shaking. I was afraid that I would forget the protection and mess up again. I did my best to push all my worries aside as I neared Ever's apartment. I put the truck in park and walked up to the door. Before I could knock, Hannah opened the door to greet me. She came outside and closed the door behind her, and all of a sudden I forgot all my worries. She got on her tiptoes and breathed hot air onto my neck.

"Hey," she crooned in my ear. My vocal chords chose that moment to not work. She was dressed in a white Elvis crop top and showed her belly button ring, a pair of dark wash skinny jeans that rode low at her hips, and Ever's black combat boots. Her hair was long and straight. I cleared my throat and managed to get out a, "Hey," in a deep, throaty growl that was full of lust. As if reading my mind, she said, "Not until after dinner, Casanova." I took her by the hand and lead her to the truck. She reached for the handle, but I stopped her.

"Let me," I said a little more clearly. I opened the door and helped her climb in. After I securely closed the door, ran around and climbed in on my side, she said, "Such a gentleman you are," in a very low, seductive voice. I cleared my voice with intentions of replying to her, but she shushed me. I drove to the Dingo which was within spitting distance of the apartment. By the time we parked, Hannah had slid over and started running her hand up and down my thigh. I had put my arm around her and started making circles with my fingers. I got out of the truck and help her get off on my side. As we walked up to the door a few of the greasers milling around started to eye Hannah. My arm instinctively went around her waist and I held her tighter to my side. We settled into a booth and she slid in as close to me as she could get to me without sitting in my lap. She rested her hand on my knee and rubbed in circles. A couple of greasers walking by our table threw cat calls her way. I felt anger rise up in the pit of my stomach when I caught her ogling one of the boys. I squeezed her shoulder, harder than I needed to. She put her mouth up to my ear.

"Jealous, baby?" she breathed. I felt my anger turn back into lust. She winked at me and climbed out of the booth. She walked towards the boy that she was eyeing. She started talking to him; I couldn't hear what they were saying because it was so loud in there. He backed her against the wall and put one arm on it, so that he was leaning over her. I saw him press his body against hers and I lost it. I shot up from my seat and walked over to them.

"Hannah, I think we better go," I growled as I approached her. She looked down at my crotch and saw the pressure that was being forced against it.

"Well, I guess it is," she smirked. She took my hand and led me out to the truck. She climbed in and said, "Well, shucks golly, that didn't take too long, baby." I didn't reply, I just wanted to get her home.

"Now how's your little buddy doin'?" She reached over and undid my belt. She slowly pulled it from my waist. "Do you wanna see somethin' new I learned?" She put her head down at my crotch, I felt the button of my jeans come undone and then my zipper was pulled down. I noticed that both of her hands were rested on my knees. I felt the pressure be released at the same time. I accidentally let a tiny moan slip. "So you liked that baby? Well you should see what other things I can do with my mouth." At that exact moment I pulled into the drive to the apartment. I put the truck in park and she straddled my lap. The kiss at first was soft and sweet, but quickly grew with a new level of intensity and lust. She started unbuttoning my shirt, but left it half way done because her priorities changed. Her hands found the belt loops of my pants and began to pull them down until they were at my ankles. Next she started to tug at my briefs, but they were stuck. "Well, baby, I didn't know I could do this to ya." She lifted the waistband up and over and slid them into the heap on the floor board. She crawled back up and planted a sloppy, wet kiss on my lips. Then she took my erect cock into her hand and began pumping it slowly. She took the tip of her finger and began tracing circles onto the head. She left a line of kisses down my front and positioned her head down at my dick. She took the head into her mouth and started to do the same thing with her tongue as she was doing with her finger. I let a small gasp escape my mouth, but if Hannah heard it she ignored it. She took me in another inch and pulled in and out slowly. Hannah had never made me feel as good as she was right then. She pulled out completely and pulled my briefs back onto my body.

"I think we should go in," I sputtered.

"Really, cutie?" she breathed into my neck. I opened the door and climbed out. I took Hannah into my arms and carried her to the door, which I easily opened. I set her on the kitchen table, which was just inside the door. I began kissing her neck. I pulled her top over her head and threw it to the floor. Doing that revealed her new white lace bra. I cupped her breasts and began kneading them. She let out a loud moan of pleasure after I began kissing her.

"Oh my God! Gross! At least wait until I'm out of the house for God's sake!" I heard Ever yell from the bedroom. We ignored her and kept making out. "On the table?! I eat on that thing! Ugh! Gross! Gross! Gross! You're disinfecting my whole apartment after tonight!" Then she slammed the door securely behind her.

Hannah's hands found the rest of the buttons on my shirt and undid them. Then she stripped me of my shirt. Without taking my mouth from hers, I unbuttoned her pants and managed to get them halfway down her thighs. I pulled away and took her shoes off and pulled the jeans onto the floor. I looked up to see that she was wearing a white lace thong to match her bra. I rose back up to her mouth and began kissing her. I rubbed her thighs with my hands, parting them, and I ripped the skimpy lace from her body and revealed her wetness. I lightly massaged her clit and slipped two fingers inside of her. I pulled my fingers in and out and curled and twisted them. She let out a pleased moan telling me that I hit her g-spot. I picked up the pace and pushed in and pulled out faster and faster. Her moans and groans got louder and more pleased, a couple of times I even heard her yelp. I pulled my fingers out and brought them to my mouth and licked them clean, never breaking eye contact with her. I picked her up bridal style and carried her into the bedroom. I threw her unto the bed as I fumbled with the condom. After I got it put on, I joined Hannah on the bed. I unhooked her bra from the front and tossed it aside. I sucked on the nipple of each breast and from the sounds she was making I could tell she liked it. I let the tip of my cock rest outside of her for a minute before she couldn't take it anymore. I thrust myself inside of her and we both let out a pleasing moan. She grinded her hips into mine, one thing that she knew drove me crazy. I began thrusting faster, our yelps and moans getting louder. She kept saying yes over and over again and I kept thrusting. I felt my climax coming, I started to go slower and deeper trying to drag it out as long as possible. I felt her walls getting tighter.

"Faster, Sodapop, faster! I need it! I need it!" she screamed. I gave her what she wanted and didn't regret it. My climax ended at the same time as hers and my thrust became sloppy and slow. I ended up collapsing next to her, trying to catch my breath. She reached over and gave me a kiss.

"I love you, Pepsi," she giggled, snuggling herself into my bare chest.

"I love you, too, Hannah," I replied. As soon as the words passed my lips, she fell asleep. I followed suit very soon after.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

I woke up to a sleeping Hannah on my chest. She looked so small and beautiful, as always. I kissed her forehead and crawled out of bed, careful not to wake her. I made my way to the kitchen, I didn't bother putting anything on because Ever said she wouldn't come back until we came and got her. I fumbled for the light switch to reveal a mess of chairs and clothes. I picked the chairs up and set them back the way they are supposed to be. I looked in the pantry and found the pancake mix. The mixing bowl was in the sink, so I washed it and poured the mix in. I measured out the water and beat it in. I got one egg from the fridge and completed the batter. The pan was sitting on top of the stove so I just turned the heat on. I found the non-stick spray in the cabinet above the stove. I sprayed the pan and ladled batter into the pan.

"Hey, Sodapop," I heard a sleepy voice say. I turned around to see Hannah wearing an old sweatshirt I gave her a while ago and a pair of soffees. "Do you not own clothes or something?"

"Nah, someone just decided to leave my pants in the truck," I joked. She wrapped her arms around my waist.

"Well, it's a good thing that I have a pair of your sweatpants and an extra flannel," she smirked as she slapped my ass and walked off to the bedroom. I almost followed her, but I didn't want the pancakes to burn. When I finished making the pancakes I found the butter in the fridge and spread it all over them. I picked up the syrup on my way to the bedroom with breakfast in my hands. Hannah had pulled my clothes out of the drawer and laid them on the bed.

"I'm not eating breakfast with you until you put some clothes on," she spoke. I groaned and reluctantly put the clothes on. I got on the bed and ate the pancakes. We decided that we were going to tell Ever it was safe to go home after we finished. Hannah put on a pair of black leggings and an off-the-shoulder cobalt blue shirt. We drove to my house in almost complete silence. I think we were both just tired.

When we pulled up to my house I was surprised to not hear any insanely loud music coming from the inside. We got out on our respective sides and immediately joined hands when we met at the front of truck. Inside of the house Darry was getting ready to leave for work and Ever was sitting at the kitchen table with Ponyboy, they were both eating sandwiches. Pony was mindlessly talking about track and Ever was reading the psychology book. I put in the back of my mind to find her a book like that for birthday or something. I noticed that Pony was fidgeting from nerves or something of the like. Then I saw that he was tracing circles onto the top of her outstretched hand. I began to wonder about what happened while we were gone. Ever was smiling, but I could see behind it. There was pain there. As if reading my mind, Hannah walked over to Pony and asked if he could help her pick a good book to read, knowing that it would buy me more than enough time to talk to Ever. Hannah and I have always been able to read each other and always know what the other is thinking. Like our own little telepathic wave or something.

"Hey, Evs," I spoke as I walked over to the table. She flashed me a fake smile as she looked up from her book. The only way I could tell it was fake is because I have always been able to read people's eyes. Her eyes were showing pain.

"Hey, Pepsi-Cola," she acknowledged. Also, Ever only calls me by the pet name my dad gave me when I was little when I am sad or in pain or she is. I am not in any obvious pain, so I chose the latter.

"Ever, can I ask you a question?"

"'Course you can," she replied. I took a deep breath before I asked.

"Ever, I noticed how Pony was playing with your hand. Did anything happen last night?" After a few seconds of no reply I plowed through. "I mean, I love you both, and I just don't want to see either of you hurt. Plus the age difference is too great. I mean four years. That's a lot considering he's still in high school, only a sophomore. I just really don't want him to get hurt. If anything happened last night you can tell me." She took a sharp breath in.

"Ouch," she retorted. "That hurt. You think that I would hurt Pony. Wow. Just wow." She got up from the table and slammed her book shut. She started to walk away, but turned back quickly. The pain I saw was quickly turned into anger. "You ever fucking think that maybe, just maybe, that he could've been consoling a friend who let out everything out and needed someone?! Huh?! No! You just jump the conclusion that I'm fucking your baby brother! Well just fuck off! Maybe next time you should fucking ask what the fuck is wrong before you fucking jump to fucking conclusions! What the hell?!" She grabbed her book and stormed out of the door. From the window I watched as she sprinted back to her apartment. Pony appeared behind me.

"Good going, Soda. It took her two hours to tell me what was wrong," he snapped. Then he was out the door and headed in the same direction that she went in. Hannah came and joined me at the window. I looked into her blue eyes and tried to find the words I was searching for.

"What did I do?" I whined. I plopped onto the couch and put my head into my hands.

"You poked a bear, and the bear bit your ass," she answered.

"I was just trying to help, but I guess I was wrong. I should've just asked her. I shouldn't make assumptions. Assuming makes and ass out of you and me."

"It's okay, honey. She'll forgive you. It might take a day or two, but she will."

"Should I go over there now and try to apologize?"

"Maybe, but that's up to you." She shrugged and sat next to me.

"I think it's better to go now," I mumbled.

"Do you want me to come?" she asked sweetly. I couldn't think of a reason why not, so I let her. We got in the car and drove over to her apartment. Her and Ponyboy were sitting on the porch talking. She didn't look too pleased to see me, but I didn't care. She was going to talk to me.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

I got out of the truck and walked over to the steps. Ever had tears running down her face and anger flaming in her eyes. She wiped her cheeks off with the sleeve of an old hoodie of Dallas's.

"What do you want?" she stammered with an edge to her voice. Ponyboy put an arm around her in attempt to calm her.

"I just want to apologize, Ever," I spoke. My voice was shaking, as were my hands. I looked back to see Hannah still sitting in the truck, she knew I needed to do this alone. "I'm so sorry, Ever, assuming is wrong and I shouldn't have done that."

"Yeah, it is," she snapped, I flinched at the coldness of that comment. She let out a tiny laugh. "I hate being mad at people and I especially can't stay mad at you." She patted the spot on the other side of her and then waved Hannah over. Hannah got out and ran over to us.

"I only want to say this once," Ever stammered. "I got letters from my top six colleges that I applied for. I didn't get into the University of Michigan or Minnesota, but I got into Yale, University of Pennsylvania and California, and my number one college, Stanford." She started sobbing, but I didn't understand why.

"That's great, Ever," I beamed. Ponyboy was rubbing her back and trying to sooth her.

"Soda," Ponyboy spoke cautiously, "do you know where Stanford is?" I shook my head. "It's in California, Soda." My heart sunk to my stomach. "_California…" I thought, "she's going to California…"_

"You won't be gone long, right?" I stuttered. "She won't be gone long, right, Ponyboy? Right?"

"She got spring semester admission. She would be leaving at the end of January, Soda. But, she can't afford tuition, not even with all of the scholarships she has applied for and won. She has one person she can ask for help, but she isn't sure he will."

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Dallas's dad," Hannah chimed in. "I remember her saying something about him contacting her after he won the lottery a few months ago, he wanted to rub it Dal's face… he didn't k-know…" I pulled Hannah into my arms and tried to calm her breathing. Ever's breathing was off track and ragged, her crying got harder. Pony pulled her into his strong arms and held her.

"Why wouldn't he help her?" I asked quietly.

"He hated Dallas and her. He didn't want anything to do with either of them," Pony explained. "She doesn't know if he would. When he called she didn't tell him about Dallas, so someone needs to tell him. I offered that even though he might not help while he doesn't know, maybe he will…" his voice trailed off, we already knew what he was going to say, leaving us in silence. Both Hannah and Ever had calmed down by the time the sky began to turn dark and the sun hid behind the clouds before it disappeared altogether. A light sprinkle began to fall. A loud crack of thunder was the signal for the rain to grow heavier and a streak of lightning to appear across the sky. Hannah hid her face in my chest, she was deathly afraid of thunder and lightning. Pony and I had the same thought. He picked Ever up as I picked up Hannah and we hustled them into the house. I turned the light on in the bedroom and sat Hannah on the bed she shares with Ever. I grabbed my flannel from last night from the hamper and handed it to her. She always has one of my shirts for in case a storm comes through or something happens because wearing one almost always calms her down. She took off the shirt she was wearing and put on the long sleeve flannel. We joined Ever and Pony in the living room. Pony was looking through Ever's records for something good to play and she was sitting on the end of the couch reading. Hannah sat on the other end and I went into the kitchen. I was looking for something to drink and found a bottle of water on the door of the fridge. I looked out of the window and I was surprised to see leaves blowing around in frenzy because it was hard to see anything through this heavy rain. There was another crack of thunder and a streak of lightning to follow. I heard Hannah let out a yelp and she tucked her head into her knees. The phone rang a few seconds later.

"Hello?" I said. The connection was horrible, but I managed to make out some of what the voice was saying on the other end.

"Darry…accident…hospital…hur—" the voice cut off just as the power went out. But those words were racing through my mind. "_Darry…accident…hospital…hurry…I can't lose another person… Mom… Dad… Johnny… Dally... and now Darry… no…. no… no…" _I raced into the living room trying to hold back the tears that threatened to break through.

"We have to go, Pony," I quaked. A look of confusion darted across his face. "Darry, he's been in some kind of accident, we have to go to the hospital. Now."

All four of us raced through the rain and got into the truck. I drove carefully because we didn't need to have another accident today. When we got to the front desk I asked about a Darrel Curtis. The nice lady said that he was in room 584B and that only one visitor was allowed in the room for the time being. We took the stairs because the elevator service was out. The hospital has a backup generator that only certain things run on, the elevator not being one of them. When we got up to the fifth floor we looked for room 584B. Pony looked into the room through the window and quickly backed away.

"What is it, Pone?" I asked.

"There's a girl in there with him," he whispered. I remembered the voice on the other end of the phone. It registered now as a girl's voice.

"A girl? Dar has a girl?" Hannah laughed.

"So that's who he was trying to tell me about last night after baby Curtis here fell asleep!"

"What?" I remarked.

"Yeah, he was telling me about this girl he met. He's really into her. I wasn't payin' much attention because I was reading. But, yeah."

"Oh, well that's interesting. I haven't seen him interested in a girl since high school."

"I think he said that she works at the same company that he does, 'cept she doesn't roof the houses. I think he said that she is the boss's assistant. Said she's nice and cute. She's into music and dancing and tonight, I think, they were supposed to go dancing or something. I think he said her name is Jennifer Grey." The nurse brushed by us and into the room. The nurse and the girl talking to Darry came out.

"Hi, I'm Jennifer. Darry said that he wants to see Sodapop next," the girl spoke. She had short light brown hair that was very curly. Her eyes were chocolate brown. She wasn't very tall, but Darry likes girls that are much shorter than him. She spoke with a southern accent that sounded a bit like the one I heard on the phone. I went into the room and stood at the foot of the bed. Darry had gauze wrapped around his head and his ankle was compressed with an ACE bandage.

"Hey, little buddy," he said.

"Hey, Dar," I spoke. I wasn't as worried as I was when we first got here.

"Well I was roofin' a house just as the rain started and when I went to get off I slipped and fell. I twisted my ankle and hit my head. But that's it. Doc said that he wanted to monitor me tonight, just to make sure that I don't have a concussion. The reason I can't have more than one visitor is because he doesn't want the noise level to be too loud because of my head."

"Oh, well do you want us to stay here with you?" I asked.

"Well, I sure as hell don't want you going back out into that mess." Same ole Darry, even when he's the one hurt he always wants us to be okay. I wanted to tell him about what I was think when I got the call, but I didn't. I didn't want him to feel bad.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

That night I fell asleep in the hallway with Hannah stretched out across my lap and three other chairs. The chairs weren't the most comfortable things in the world, but we managed. It didn't take too long for me to find the peaceful oasis of sleep.

_Hannah and I were walking around the block and talking about everything that life is and was. It was a beautiful day for a walk. I didn't have work that day and Hannah skipped school. She didn't have any tests or anything important so I let her. She was wearing a pair of light wash shorts that were way too short for school and a tank top that hugged all of her beautiful curves. I was wearing an Elvis tee-shirt that Hannah had given me for Christmas the previous year and a pair of old worn out blue jeans. We held hands as we walked. Hannah wanted to go to her house for lunch because both of her parents were at work, I obliged. As we approached her house she noticed that her mom's car was still sitting in the driveway. Hannah just shrugged it off and guessed that her dad drove them both to work, he did that sometimes. We walked inside and took off our shoes. Rule number one of the Waters household: No shoes. There was a beeping noise coming from the laundry room, so Hannah went to tend to the laundry._

"_It's just some dry clothes!" she called from the laundry room. "I'm gonna put them in Momma's room and then I'll see what I can make!" She passed through the kitchen with the laundry basket in her arms. She went into the master bedroom that her parents shared. I heard a loud shriek and ran to the bedroom. I saw her mother lying on her bed. Her wrists were very bloody and there was an empty sleeping pill bottle lying next to her. I grabbed the phone next to the bed and called 911. Hannah was screaming her mother's name and trying to shake her awake. When the police arrived, so did her dad. Once I gave my statement I opted to leave. Hannah said it was okay and just wanted to be with her dad. Even after I had been away from the scene, I still couldn't get the image out of my head._

I woke up in a cold sweat. That was a day that will forever live in infamy. Two, almost three, years ago on March 30th, Hannah's mother committed suicide. Hannah never told me why.

Hannah stirred and gave me a sleepy smile. She sat up when she saw the tears rolling down my cheek.

"What's wrong, Sodapop?" she asked quietly so she didn't wake Ever and Pony, who were laying the same way on the other side of the hall.

"Hannah, why did… why did your mom kill herself?" I stammered. She gave me a sympathetic look.

"Let's take a walk, baby." She got up and stretched her hand out for me to take it. We walked in silence for a few minutes. "She was a depressed person, Soda, you gotta understand that. About a week before it happened she was reminded of an incident that happened about eighteen years ago now." She paused for a minute before she trucked through. "My dad isn't my dad, Sodapop, I'm the product of a rape. My dad told me that the rapist told her that if she didn't pay him 30,000 dollars by March 30th then he was going to rape me. She killed herself because with all the police milling around he would leave me alone, and he did. She slipped the note in his brief case and he didn't see it until it was too late. That's why my dad hates me so much. I took my mom away." I looked down at Hannah; her eyes were dry but weary.

"Hannah, it's not your fault, I promise," I said sweetly.

"I know. I just wish she hadn't." I enclosed my strong arms around her and held her tightly. "I love you, Sodapop."

"I love you, too, Hannah." I pressed my lips against the top of her head and held her firmly.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Darry was released from the hospital that day. He had a very mild concussion, nothing to worry about, but his ankle was severely twisted. The doctor ordered him to stay off of it until after Thanksgiving. That meant we didn't have his paycheck until after the holidays. We still had to pay his hospital bills, and the electricity, and the water, and the car insurance. Luckily the house had been paid off before our parents died. I still had my job and I picked up as many extra shifts as I could, Steve gave us part of his weekly pay check and Ever had gotten a job and did the same. Hannah tried to get me to take the money that her mom had left for her, but I couldn't do that, it was killing me just to take half of a paycheck from two kids that are trying to go to college. Steve told me that his dad was paying for his college anyway, but it was still hard for me. He was going to the community college and taking classes for business management and auto mechanics. Steve wanted to open up his own gas station and car workshop, or buy the DX from the old miser that owns it now.

Ever and Hannah invited all of us to their apartment for Thanksgiving dinner. Hannah began paying half of the rent for the apartment. Ever, Hannah, and I had talked about what was going to happen when Ever left for Stanford. We decided that I would move into the apartment with Hannah. Ever is coming home on summer and winter and spring breaks. She already has a paid internship lined up upon her arrival, so she could pay for airfare. Ever was going to stay at the apartment with Hannah and I. She told us she would sleep on the couch, but Hannah gave me a look that said 'if you let her sleep on the couch I will seriously hurt you', so I will be sleeping on the couch. Hannah and I knew better than to ask Ever about her visiting her family. Her mom abandoned her and her dad when she was only six months old. Her mom was a drug addict and claimed that having Ever was a mistake. She tried to drown Ever while she was bathing her. To our luck Ever's dad walked in and saved her. Her mother left five months later. Her dad gave her up when she was two. I didn't blame him, either. He was eighteen years old when he gave her up; he didn't know the first thing about parenting. She was bounced around until she was twelve. A family had finally been able to put up with her rudeness, sarcasm, and ability to find trouble. That's how she found us, with her ability to find trouble. That foster home was more like a boot camp than a home. She would be punished physical if she did anything wrong at home and if she did anything wrong in public they would make her go a week or two without meals. They whipped her into shape. Not just figuratively but literally. She lost over eighty pounds. She left the day that she turned eighteen.

Ever and Hannah made me come over and help them cook dinner. I baked the turkeys (we had to have two because we boys eat like horses) and made the cranberry sauce; Hannah made the stuffing, and Ever baked the pies. Hannah and Ever made me leave once my job was done. They wanted me to make sure that everyone was dressed nicely. It was 4:00 by the time I got into the shower. I cleaned myself very well because Ever made it very clear on what she would do to me if I wasn't clean, nothing good. I went to shave and noticed that my facial hair was just stubble and I knew that Hannah liked it best that way, so I left it. I greased back my hair like I usually have it done. I put on a white button down, black slacks, and a black tie. By the time I was ready it was 5:22, Ever and Hannah wanted us over by 5:30. I walked into the living room to see Darry and Ponyboy dressed the same as me. Steve was wearing a dark blue dress shirt, black slacks, and a black tie, and his girlfriend Evie was wearing a tight, short, long sleeve dress that was the same color as Steve's shirt. Two-Bit was wearing a white Mickey Mouse tee shirt, black dress jacket, and black slacks. His girlfriend, Kathy, broke up with him because she 'found' someone new. She actually had been cheating on him from the start. The girl that Darry had been seeing, Jennifer, showed up a few minutes later. She was wearing a red dress that stopped right above her knees.

When we got to the girls' apartment we helped them set the table. Hannah was wearing a white sheer top with a tight gold sequin skirt that didn't even go passed her fingertips. Ever was wearing a forest green sequin dress that was about as long as Hannah's skirt. The dress had a v-neck back that stopped just shy of her ass. Ever wasn't the kind of girl that if you saw her on the street you would break your neck trying to look at her like Hannah or Evie or even Jennifer. Ever was an average kind of pretty. But tonight she was stunning, almost as much as Hannah is normally. We sat at the table and said our prayer. Ever had me bring in a long plastic table and chairs and set it up in the living room for the occasion. I sat next to Hannah and I rubbed up and down her thigh the whole night. Ever surprisingly didn't say anything about Two-Bit's attire right off the bat.

"Um, Two-Bit," Ever spoke.

"Yeah, babe?" he replied. "_Babe?" I thought. "Two never calls anyone babe except for Kathy."_

"I thought you said that you were going to dress nice for the occasion," she remarked.

"Yeah, doll! I put on my nicest Mickey shirt and some slacks just for you!" he joked. Ever smiled to herself and shook her head. A couple of times I saw Two-Bit and Ever stealing glances at each other. I noticed that Two's right hand and Ever's left hand were both under the table and they were sitting awful close to each other. After dinner we cleaned off the table, folded it up, and loaded it into the back of my truck. We all sat around the living room, talking amongst ourselves.

"Everyone," Ever beamed. The whole room fell silent and their eyes fell on her. "I have some news. I have been accepted to Stanford University to study psychology." There was applause and some whooping from Two-Bit. "I called Dallas's father," at the mention of his name everyone was quiet again, "I told him about what happened last year and he told me about how bad he felt for me. Then he told me that he would pay the rest of my college tuition until I have finished." There was another round of applause. "I'm leaving for California at the end of January." There was silence again.

"_California_?" Two-Bit exclaimed. "You're going to _California in January_?" Ever turned around to face him.

"Yes, Keith, that's where Stanford is, and the spring semester starts at the beginning of February."

"But what about _us_?" he pleaded.

"Please don't make me talk about this right now," Ever said as she sat down next to him, taking his hand in hers. He had tears in his eyes, for once not taking something as a joke. Nobody in the room questioned what had just happened. Ever continued talking about her leaving, including some new information that I was never told.

"For the degree that I'm getting, it's going to take ten years. I know that seems like a long time for me to be away, but I do come with good news. I am coming home for winter, spring, and summer breaks! But, the reason that I asked all of you here for Thanksgiving is because it's my last one with you guys for a while. I wanted to thank all of y'all for your support through everything. I love you guys. You're the only family I got left and I hope you'll continue to support me through the next ten years." I was the first one to get up and hug her, then Hannah, then Ponyboy, until we were all huddled around Ever on the couch.

"I also have good news," Darry said. "I can go back to work tomorrow!" Everyone whooped and hollered.

"Wow, way to show me up, Superman!" Ever teased. Two-Bit was holding Ever's hand and whispering in her ear, after a few moments of this I saw Ever nod and they excused themselves to the bedroom for a minute. Hannah and I were sitting next to each other on the floor and I was running my hand up and down her thigh. Hannah was talking to Evie about some sale. Darry and Jennifer left, probably for relationship reasons, and he dropped Pony at our house before he took Jenn home. After a while Steve and Evie started to get hot and heavy in the corner and left once they remembered where they were. I decided to stay with Hannah tonight and Two-Bit was spending the night here. They had come out of the bedroom a few minutes before people started leaving.

Once Steve and Evie left, Two-Bit kissed Ever on the nose, the first show of affection he showed towards her physically. The four of us sat in the living room and talked. Hannah was the one to bring up the elephant in the room.

"So when did this little love affair begin?" Hannah smirked. Ever gave a light laugh and sighed.

"About a couple days after Kathy broke up with me," Two-Bit explained. "And boy, oh, boy I'm probably the happiest a kid could get after a break up." I never could have seen them together, but now I can. He's good for her. They're pretty cute together, too.

"I never really thought that I would be with him of all people," Ever joked.

"Yeah, 'cause you're too pretty for me," Two-Bit countered. She rolled her eyes.

"Nice try, kid, not tonight." I looked over and saw Hannah yawn.

"Well, I think me and Hannah are gonna turn in for the night," I said. "If you would oh so kindly get off of our bed, we might be able to sleep."

"Nope! This is our bed! Yours is the nice comfy one in the other room!" Ever exclaimed. "Two lay down so he can't try to take it while I bring us clothes to change into!" He laughed and did as she said.

"Ma'am, yes, ma'am," he beamed. When she came back she sat on his stomach and said, "It's all yours, lovebirds!" We went into the room and I changed into the clothes I brought over here. We jumped into the bed and snuggled up to each other.

"Thanks, Sodapop. I appreciate all of the things you do," Hannah whispered.

"It's not a problem, babe. I love you, Hannah," I replied sleepily.

"I love you too," she said just as she drifted asleep. It felt right to be here, to have her in my arms. I never wanted her to leave, ever. I wanted to freeze that moment in time and just live in it forever.


	18. Chapter 18

***SMUT WARNING***

Chapter 18

In the morning I woke up with my arms around the love of my life. Her long blonde hair fell over her shoulders perfectly and her flawlessly sculpted lips parted in a sleepy smile. Each freckle was faultlessly placed onto her cheeks and danced across her nose. Her eyelids still had makeup left over from the night before, but I didn't care. She had always been scenic, especially when she wasn't wearing makeup. Her natural beauty was beyond compare. I would never leave Hannah, never a day in my life. I would die without her.

I carefully got out of bed so I didn't wake her. The clock on the wall read 8:38. My shift that day began at 12:00, and I didn't get off until 6:00. I cautiously opened the bedroom door, mindful of the fact that Ever and Two-Bit might be sleeping on the couch. When I looked out I saw that Ever was sitting on one end of the couch nearest to the light reading her book, and Two-Bit was lying at the other end still asleep. I closed the door almost soundlessly.

"Good morning, Ever," I whispered.

"Well, hey there, Pepsi-boy," she replied just as softly. "You have a wild night or somethin'?" She looked from my head to my feet, and back up, shaking her head the whole time. I looked down to see that my clothes were quite disheveled. I had no idea how they got that way, so I just shrugged my shoulders earning a dainty laugh from Ever.

"It probably wouldn't have happened if I had slept on the couch with Two-Bit," I countered.

"Yeah, because it's _definitely _all it's cracked up to be. Snoring and all," she added sarcastically.

"I bet. Do you have food coloring, Evs?" I asked surreptitiously. She looked at me suspiciously.

"Yeah," she said slowly. "Why, Sodapop?"

"You'll see, honey! Where is it?" She found her bookmark and put it in between the pages she left off on. She walked in the kitchen and opened the cabinet next to the fridge.

"What color?" she asked reaching for the box as she stood on the balls of her feet to help her get up higher.

"Red, please!" I said like a six year-old asking for a crayon. I saw her shake her head at me, but ignored the gesture. She grabbed the red bottle and turned around in one graceful move. By how she did that you probably wouldn't believe that she was the greatest klutz that ever lived. She held the bottle out to me and as I went to take it she pulled it back.

"What is it for?" she asked distrustfully raising both of her eyebrows. I gave her a smirk.

"Oh ye of little faith!" I exclaimed.

"Just don't blow anything up," she said as she handed me the bottle.

"Me? Of course not!" I retorted. After she left I found her waffle iron in a draw under the oven. I mixed up the batter and added the red food dye. Thirty minutes later I had enough waffles for six normal teenagers, but we weren't exactly what you would call _normal_, so there was just enough. I commenced the next part of my morning. I ran from the kitchen into Ever and Hannah's bed. I jumped onto the bed and started tickling and shaking Hannah awake.

"Wake up, beautiful, wake up!" I shouted at her. I saw her beautiful blue eyes flutter open. My breath was taken from my body by the pulchritudinous angel that is Hannah.

"I'm up, I'm up!" she giggled. Man, even her giggle was beauteous.

"I made breakfast!" I sang.

"Oh, great, what has Chef Sodapop Patrick Curtis prepared for this lovely morning?" she inquired jokingly. I took her by the hand and began to drag her out of the bed. "Okay! Okay! I'm coming!" She ran along to the table and I began to shake Two-Bit awake.

"Oh, fuck you," he said sleepily.

"Well, good morning to you too, Sunshine!" I beamed. "Come along, breakfast is ready!" At the sound of that, he shot off the couch and ran to the table. I grabbed the waffles from the oven and the butter and syrup from the fridge. I placed them on the table.

"Red waffles?" Hannah said. "Why, red?"

"Because red is the color of love and the waffles now symbolize my love for you!" Two-Bit and Ever started making barfing noises at that comment. "_Ah, that's why. They have the same sense of humor and love of countering me on every comment I make," I thought. _"Only Hannah's though! You two's are just red out of chance!" I added.

"Good!" Two-Bit cheered.

"Yeah, I don't want to be eating your love!" Ever finished adding barfing noises at the end of her statement. Two-Bit high-fived her at the great accomplishment of making fun of me. I rolled my eyes and ignored them.

"Well, I think they're great! Thank you, baby," Hannah marveled giving me a kiss on the nose and I gave her one on her nose too. She crinkled her nose and flicked her eyes up towards the ceiling. Hannah always did this whenever I gave her a kiss there or when someone compliments her. I found it adorable.

"Anything for you, love," I responded. At this the two lovers began the noises again. "Oh, just shut up and eat your waffles," I commanded. They stopped and ate their food. By the time we all finished eating and I cleaned up the kitchen, it was 11:15. Hannah and I lounged around the living room talking to Ever and Two-Bit for about twenty minutes. I turned to her and I started into the dark depths of her blues. Out of nowhere I took her face with one hand and planted a sweet kiss on her impeccable lips. It started out soft but quickly turned heated as our tongues battled for supremacy. I picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. I heard Ever yell out, "Come on! This early in the morning, really?"

I closed the door behind us and threw Hannah onto the bed. I started sucking on her neck. I started to pull her shirt off and I only broke my hold on her neck to pull it over her head. I left a trail down her chest and stomach stopping at the band of her pants. I unbuttoned her jeans and pulled them off in one slow movement. I started leaving kisses at her ankles up to her knees. I looked up at her and smirked. I parted her legs and started sucking on every square inch of her inner thighs. When I had my hands on her underwear about to pull them down, I heard the alarm I set for work going off.

"Well, I guess that's me!" I said mischievously.

"Um, no!" she remonstrated. She pouted her lip, which usually pulled me under her spell, but not that day.

"Um, yes," I said with the same amount of imploringness. "I got work, babe! Maybe we can continue this when I get back, love," I teased as I turned to go.

"Goodness, you're such a tease!" Hannah said.

"Yeah, I'm the tease," I said sarcastically as I thought back to our last couple of dates. I walked into the living room and saw Two-Bit and Ever laughing.

"Wow, Sodapop, you like to arouse 'em and leave 'em, don't ya?" Ever joshed. I walked out of the door knowing that when I got back here tonight that Hannah was going to make Two-Bit and Ever not be there. And I was so ready for it.


	19. Chapter 19

***SMUT WARNING***

Chapter 19

I punched my time card and yelled a goodbye to my boss. I got into my truck and turned the key. I decided to ride around town for ten minutes or so because I knew the later I was the more wound up Hannah would be. I wasn't sure of what to expect. But all that was in my mind was her. Her perfect body, her faultless lips, her unmarred hair, her picturesque blue eyes. She was stuck in my head and I didn't mind one bit.

All of a sudden the car in front of me stopped, only then did I notice that it was Two-Bit's. He and Ever got out of the car and came over to my side of the truck. I rolled the window down.

"Um, Pretty Boy Curtis, you got a girl waiting for you, ya know that, right?" Ever spoke. She looked at me with her green eyes and shook her head. "And I didn't tell you this, but she's pretty much ready to tear your clothes off as soon as you step one toe inside that place."

"Just so you know," Two-Bit added. Then they got into his car and drove off. I stepped on the gas and turned around. I got to the apartment in two minutes flat, when I was about ten minutes from there. I turned the truck off as soon as I parked and hauled ass to the door. I tried to not look eager as I opened the door and stepped inside. There were candles lining the kitchen counter and there were a few sitting at the middle of the table. I closed the door and locked it behind me; I wanted to be sure that nobody barged in on us tonight. There was a pizza lying on the table with two plates set beside it.

"Sorry it's not gourmet," I heard a slow, seductive voice call from the bedroom. I started to make my way back there, but I was stopped by her voice. "Just sit down and I'll be there in a second." I did as she said.

When she came out she looked like a waitress straight out of a porno. She was wearing a little piece of sequined black fabric that only covered the nipples of her breasts and stretched down to the place that I wanted to be most. There was a little red bow synching it together at her belly button and there was one at her southern area. It was only string in the back to keep it on her body. Her long blonde hair was curled. Her eyeliner was winged out and she wore bright red lipstick. I started to stand, but she put a hand on my head to stop me. She straddled my lap and started undoing the buttons on my grease-stained DX shirt, and then she stripped it from my body.

"Oh, no, we're going to eat tonight," she drawled out slowly. My hand went down to my crotch; I didn't know how long I could take it. She leisurely strolled her way to the other side of the table. I watched her bare ass the whole way, each time it moved aroused me more than the last. She cut the pizza and handed me a slice. She took a tiny bite and waited another minute before she took another. Even the way she moved her jaw up and down turned me on more than words can describe.

"So what's on your mind, honey?" she asked celestially.

"I just really want to get you on that bed and fuck your brains out," I said. My voice had a strong gravelly sound to it.

"Well, baby," she mocked, "we can't always get what we want." She shook her head slightly and took a bite of the pizza never breaking eye contact. "What else, hun?" The pressure being pressed against my jeans was apparent. She saw me fumble at my crotch. "It's okay, baby, you can take it out."

"But, we're eating," I tried to tease back, it only came course.

"Oh, sweet pea, that's fine. I don't mind." I rose up from my chair and unbuttoned my jeans, and then I undid the zipper and pulled them off. I went to sit down, but the look I got from Hannah said 'Take your briefs off too'. So I stripped them off too. I stood in front of her stark naked. My dick was long and erect. My hand almost instinctively went to my cock in an attempt to masturbate, but I stopped myself as I remembered she was sitting there watching.

"It's okay, love, let's take this to the living room," she seduced. I followed her in there, which was very hard considering, and she gestured to the couch. "Sit," she demanded. I did so. "Let me see you." I took my erection in my hand and started pumping it fast. "No," she said harshly. "Slowly." I obliged. I took long and slow movements forcing my hand up and down my shaft. I tried to hide my arousal at how intently she was staring. Precum started to flow from the tip of my dick. She took the tip of her finger and dragged it gently around the head. She brought her finger to her lips and sucked it clean. I couldn't take it anymore. I started to pump hard and faster until a shot of cum came out and pooled onto my chest. Hannah pushed me so that I was lying on the couch. She straddled my lap and let her tongue creep up the trail of cum. She sat up and started to take off the little number she was wearing, and then cast it across the room. She bent over and started to kiss and suck on my neck. My hands immediately went to her breasts. As she nipped and sucked I kneaded her breasts. I needed to be inside of her, but I didn't want her to stop. She rocked her body back so my dick was resting at her slit. She lowered herself onto me and started to grind her hips into mine. I couldn't take the slow movements anymore.

I propelled myself forward so that I was now the one in control. I slammed myself into her and came in and out hard and fast. She was moaning and screaming with pleasure and excitement. I felt her walls get tighter and I decided it was my turn to be the tease. I pulled out completely and watched her face contort out of pleasure with a smirk. I got off the couch and picked her up bridal style. I carried her into the bedroom and threw her onto the bed. I positioned myself on top of her and began kissing her lips. I smeared her lipstick all over. I started to suck on her neck as I entered her slowly. I pushed in and held myself there for a few moments before I pulled out slowly and completely. I set my dick outside of her for a moment and then pushed in just as slowly as before. This cycle went on for a few minutes before Hannah's moans turned into pleading.

"Soda, Soda, I need it! Give it to me! Give it to me now!" she squealed.

I smirked against her neck before I smashed myself into her at full force. At my top speed I crashed myself into her. Hannah was a moaning, screaming mess as her walls began to tighten against my dick. We came at the same time. I pushed myself in and out sloppily before I collapsed beside her, both of us breathing hard.

A few more rounds came that night, some slow and drawn out, others fast and powerful. After our final round Hannah snuggled up to my chest, both of us a sweaty mess.

"I love you, Sodapop," she whispered just as she fell asleep.

"I love you, too," I replied right before I nodded off too.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

My hands were intertwined with Hannah's when I woke up the next morning. I buried my face into the crook of her neck and yawned. I carefully untangled myself from her and walked to the bathroom. As I took my morning piss I remembered something from the night before.

"Oh shit!" I belted at the top of my lungs. I heard a stirring from the bedroom. A sleepy Hannah greeted me at the door with a somnolent grin.

"What is it, hun?" she inquired.

"Hannah, please tell me that you took the condom off of me last night in your sleep," I pleaded as I walked over to her.

"C-condom? Oh fuck, again!" she exclaimed. "It's okay, it's okay. I went on the pill and Ever has some morning after pills somewhere in this place. I'll look in the medicine cabinet in the kitchen; you look in the one in here." She walked out of the kitchen, even though we were in a sort of crisis, I couldn't keep my eyes up until she was around the corner.

I flipped through dozens of pill bottles, nonprescription and prescription. Anti-anxiety, anti-depression, pain, birth control, more pain, more anti-depressants, another birth control. If this is what her bathroom medicine cabinet looked like, I wondered what was left over for the one in the kitchen.

"Did you find them?" Hannah yelled from the kitchen.

"No, but I'll look again!" I replied. I pulled all of the bottles out and read the labels carefully so I didn't miss anything. On one of the bottles that I thought was birth control was actually the morning after pills. "I found it!" I exclaimed. I ran to the kitchen with the pills in my hand. She looked at me like I was crazy as I bounded into the kitchen.

"What?" I said defensively. She cracked a wide smile.

"You're a fool," she stated as she turned to get a glass of water and take two purple pills. I smiled recklessly and wrapped my arms around her waist and started kissing her neck.

"Stop it, Sodapop!" she giggled. "I have a job interview in an hour, I need to shower and get ready."

"Fine," I surrendered. "Can I join you?" I buried my head into her neck.

"No, because we both know what happens when we get in the shower together." She wriggled from my grasp and ran to the bathroom. I watched her as she turned the water on and got in. She started to sing Heartbreak Hotel, her favorite Elvis song. When she got halfway through the chorus she stopped.

"Hey, Sodapop?" she called over the water.

"Yeah, hun?" I replied.

"Can you lay out my white sweater and dark wash jeans?"

"That's what you wanna wear, babe? You sure?"

"Of course! Please baby?"

"Fine!" She started back from where she left off in the song. Man, I could listen to her sing all day long. She was just so good at it. She sounded like an angel.

I went over to her dresser that was facing Ever's and pulled out the jeans she asked for. Then I went over to her side of the closet and grabbed the only white sweater I could find. It had a v-neck that stopped just shy of her belly button.

"Uh, Hannah?" I called.

"Yeah, babe?" she said as she turned off the water.

"Where did you say you were going?"

"Um I didn't," she id quietly. She was the annoyed look on my face. "Rusty's, I'm going to Rusty's."

"Hannah! That's where all the Socs are! Do you know what they'll do if they figure out a greaser is working there?"

"Yes, I do! But do you think they'll care if I wear what I do? No! They're just gonna sit back and enjoy the view!" I shook my head, but handed her the clothes anyway. She got dressed and then grabbed her makeup bag from the top of her dresser. I followed her to the bathroom and watched her put on her makeup. She winged out her eyeliner, which she only does when she wants to impress someone, and put on some natural colored eyeshadow. I watched her as she coated her lashes with mascara, so that they were longer and darker than usual. She finished with pale pink lipstick that went with her complexion very well. When shed turned around I tried to give her a kiss, but she stopped me.

"Nope! No smudging of the lipstick before I go!" she scolded. I shook my head.

"Do you want me to drive you over there?" I asked.

"No, Ever said I could take Dal's old car because Two is driving her to The Way Out. He's just going to drop her off like a block away so no one sees him." The Way Out and Rusty's were the Soc's hang outs, the greasers had the Dingo and Jay's. The only reason I didn't want Hannah working at Rusty's is because I saw Ever one day after her boss found out she was a greaser, but he didn't fire her. She had to cover up her black eye with makeup so that Two-Bit never asked about it.

"Do you have work today?" she asked as she grabbed the keys to the T-Bird.

"No, I think I'm gonna just clean up here and then head home for a while. I need to see Pony and Dar."

"Well I'll meet you there!" she yelled as she walked out to the car. She climbed in and took off. Hannah had a lead foot like me when it came to driving. I headed back into the house and cleaned the kitchen. Once I finished in the kitchen, I cleaned the bathroom and the bedroom. I decided that it would be nice to spend some time with the boys before Hannah got home. I put on my jacket and headed out to the truck. I started it and took off down the road. I kept thinking about all the bad stuff that could happen, but I attempted to push it from my mind.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

As I pulled into our quaint little neighborhood, I noticed Ever and Two-Bit climbing into his beat-up Plymouth, I loved cars, but that was one of the butt-ugliest cars I had ever seen. I waited for them to back out before I pulled into our driveway. Pony was sitting on the porch reading a book, when he saw me pull up he quickly got up and ran to the truck.

"Well, fancy meeting you here," Pony said as he tried to cock one of his eyebrows. That sounded like something my mom said to me one day after I got home really late.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, you gonna read me the riot act now, _mom_," I countered. He rolled his eyes and laughed. "Does Dar have work today?"

"Yeah, then he's taking Jenn out."

"They're making him work on Saturday? That's so stupid!" I exclaimed as we walked into the house.

"Yeah, I know," he stated.

"So, Pone," I said as we sat on the couch. "How ya been sleeping?" The only reason I asked was because Pony had nightmares. Not like the normal 'I went to school in just my underwear' nightmares, but the ones where he wakes up in the middle of the night screaming his head off nightmares. He would wake up in the morning and we'd ask what had happened, but he always said he never remembered. Sometimes I would think that he did but he just never wanted us to worry. They started shortly after Mom and Dad died. That's why I started to sleep with him. Whenever I slept with him he never had the nightmares. He stopped having them for a while, but then after Dallas and Johnny died, he started to get confused and think that he was the one that killed Bob, they started again, even when I was sleeping with him. Darry got him a prescription to help him sleep and not have dreams. I didn't know how that was possible, but it worked so I didn't question it.

"Alright, I guess. I haven't had any nightmares, if that's what ya wanna know," he answered. Something in his eyes made me think that he was lying.

"Pony, you know that you can tell me anything. If you have I can stay here, it wouldn't be a problem."

"I don't wanna take you from Hannah, Soda. I just don't, man."

"Pony, they'd probably like it better if I came back here anyways." After a few moments of silence I spoke. "So you've been having them again?" He only nodded. "Pony, do you ever remember what they're about? Please don't lie to me, honey."

"Sometimes, yeah, and I have for the past few nights. They're always the same. Me, you, Momma, Dad, Dar, Johnny, Dally, Steve, and Two-Bit are out in the country and we're all having fun and stuff. Mom and Dad leave to go get something and then the train hits them. And then Johnny is burned to death and Dally gets shot. Then Steve is killed at DX while it gets robbed. Two dies from drinking too much. Then it's just us three. And Darry gets killed in a work accident. Then you die in a car accident. And I'm just alone and scared. It scares me so much. I don't want to lose you guys and be alone. I can't." I pulled him into a hug and just held him.

"It's okay, Pony, you won't lose us. We're right here," I soothed. After a few minutes of that I heard the door open. The person at the door tried to just let us have our moment, but the moment was over. We pulled away from each other and I saw Hannah standing there with a grey t-shirt in her hands.

"Hey, guys," she said pretending not to have seen that. She looked like she wasn't hurt, so I took it that she was okay.

"Hey, Hann," Pony and I spoke at the same time.

"Did ya get the job?" I asked. She held out the t-shirt and I saw that it said Rusty's across where her boobs are going to go. The shirt looked like it was too big for her. "Well that's great, babe!"

"Do you have any scissors, Pepsi-boy?" she asked. I got up from the couch and she followed me into the kitchen. She took the scissors that I handed her and sat at the table. She cut the sides and opened the shirt. Then she cut one inch strips on the sides and tied corresponding strips together. Then she cut the neck ribbon off. She cut a new neckline that stopped in the middle of the dive's logo. Once she finished I knew it was safe to talk to her. Whenever she started something like that, it wasn't a good idea to interrupt her. I checked to see if Pony was in the living room and then if he was in earshot, but I heard the door close and assumed that he went outside.

"Hannah," I said, "I'm gonna start staying here at night with Pony."

"Why, hun?" she asked. She looked into my eyes searching for the answer herself.

"He started having nightmares again," I whispered, still scared of Pony hearing.

"Oh, well then you should, thanks for the warning, baby," she said as she leaned over and gave me a kiss. I gladly returned it.

"How was the job interview?" Hannah sighed loudly at this question.

"It was alright. He said that he knew I was a greaser, but he needed a sexy waitress to bring in more business. I have to wear this wretched thing, but he said I could do what I wanted with it as long as they could read the logo. He told me that I had to wear really short shorts, leggings, or really tight jeans. I was basically doing all of those anyway." It made me angry that her boss told her to do all those things, but I pushed the feeling down.

"Well, that's good, baby."

"Yeah, I need to go home a get the stench of sweater wearing assholes off of me. God, now I know why Ever takes extra-long showers when she gets home. I'll come back later, yeah?" She kissed me good-bye and bounded out of the door.

I spent the rest of the day letting Pony read to me. I made me, Pony, and Hannah dinner. Afterwards, we watched Mickey on TV. Pony and I climbed into bed, when Hannah left. I felt Pony shiver at the other side of the bed.

"Ya cold, Pony?" I asked stifling a yawn.

"A little," he mumbled almost inaudibly. I rolled over and draped my arms around him. Then I pulled the sheets up to cover both of us. I didn't realize how tired I was and I was asleep in a matter of seconds.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N user 7.06andcounting wrote a one shot that was the inspiration for this chapter! *SMUT WARNING***

Chapter 22

"_SHH! Christ alive, Curtis, stand up, you fucker!" Dally exclaimed. I was a lightweight when it came to alcohol. I didn't drink much but when I did it was bad._

"_I am standin'," I slurred. He rolled his eyes at me. Him, Steve, and Two-Bit were trying to keep me upright as we mounted the stairs._

"_Don't tell him what ta do," Steve said unclearly. A few seconds later the porch light flipped on. Dally and Two-Bit ran off into the night, but me and Steve stood there like fools. I propped myself on a column and tried to act serious. The door opened and my mother was standing there, she looked like she was trying to be mad._

"_Sodapop Patrick Curtis, have you been drinking?" she asked._

"_Yup," I beamed cracking a wide grin. I saw her try to stifle a laugh, she composed herself and turned to Steve._

"_Steve, did you drink too?" she accused lightheartedly._

"_Yes, ma'am," he said as he hiccupped._

"_Just get in the house!" she said. I stumbled my way inside with Steve trying to hold me up. We squinted as she turned on the light. "So was it just a coincidence that you and your buddies go and get drunk when your father and brothers are out of town?" I shrugged, which I found out was a bad idea because I wobbled dangerously. "What do you think your father would have to say about this?" I thought for a second._

"_Poss'bly… 'Atta boy?" I asked. I smiled real wide. She turned away for a second, when she turned back she got us into the kitchen. She made us drink water. I didn't really like the taste of it, weird and not tasteful at all._

"_Steve, you sleep in Darry's bed, okay?" she said. I looked at her in the light. She was so pretty, golden-like really. I started to pull off my shirt. "What are you doing, Soda?"_

"_We goin' to bed, right?" he asked. She nodded and started to pick up the clothes I had stripped off. "Ma? I don't think water's too good for me…" I made my way to the toilet and barfed up the contents of my stomach. Afterwards I wet a washcloth and brushed my teeth. I sat on the edge of the tub and stared at her. "Sorry, Mom."_

"_You'll be sorrier in the morning."_

"_Why? Whatcha gonna do to me?" I said in horror. I thought of all the things she could do to me._

"_You did it to yourself, son," she stated. She said some other things, but I was already kind of falling asleep. She helped me get up and tucked me into bed._

"_Thanks, Mom," I whispered just as I fell asleep._

I woke up expecting to see her standing at the door with a glass of water and bottle of aspirin. I just wanted to see her face one more time and say goodbye. Whenever I look back to that day I can always see that she is trying to hide her laughter, but I can remember how scared I felt. I slowly got out of bed, afraid that I might get a headache if I did it any faster. I didn't notice until then that Pony was already up. There was a chocolate cake sitting out. Pony had fixed eggs sunny-side up, gotten the grape jelly out and a knife. There was a note placed on the knife, where he knew I would see it.

_Sodapop-_

_I have practice this morning for theater and I'm going to run with some track buddies later._

_-Ponyboy_

I felt that it was a legitimate excuse and crumpled the note. I tried to make it into the trash can, but there was a reason that I didn't get a college scholarship for basketball. I cut myself a large slice of cake and spooned some jelly onto my eggs. Pony had left the TV on and it was playing a re-run of I Love Lucy. I always loved that show. Lucy would always get in so much trouble, but everything turned out alright. I wished the show still came on. It ended in the late 50's. I remembered sitting on the couch watching them with my parents. We would laugh forever at Lucy's mistakes. I lounged around the house doing nothing because I didn't have work again.

Hannah had gone in at 9:00 this morning and was due to get off at 3:00 this afternoon. At 3:20ish she burst in the door. She looked frustrated and collapsed on the couch. Her makeup looked like normal and she was wearing the t-shirt. After she got back she must have cropped it because it didn't even come passed her belly button. Out of the three choices she was given she went with super short hip-hugging shorts. She also wore her black converses. I walked over to her and planted a kiss on her forehead; I was rewarded with a light smile.

"How was work, babe?" I asked. She groaned loudly.

"Well, you remember those guys that threw grapes at me during lunch?" she said, and I nodded. "They were at Rusty's today. At first they just made fun of me, then they ordered fries and peanuts and grapes. They threw them at me all day and never left. UGHH! Soc boys are such _pigs_! I probably had my ass touched over fifty times today and like twenty guys tried to grab my boobs!" At the end of her rant I tried to stifle a laugh because all guys were that way.

"I'm sorry, baby. I'll get 'em if they do anything again. I'll have their asses on a platter."

"Are you threatening them?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"Nah, baby, I'm promising you." I leaned over and started kissing her neck.

"As much as I would totally and completely love to get into this with you, I can't. Me and Evs are gonna go to the Dingo or Jay's and eat." I ignored everything she said except for, 'I would totally and completely love to get into this with you.' I pulled off the top she was wearing and started to kiss all over her chest and down to her stomach.

"Come on, Sodapop, I gotta go!" I unbuttoned the shorts that left nothing to your imagination and pulled them off along with her underwear. I started to rub up and down her thigh. The other hand rested right outside of her slit. I looked up at her and pleaded with my eyes. "Fine!" she caved. Without any warning I plunged two fingers inside of her. I started out slow and grew faster as she got wetter. She pulled the t-shirt I was wearing off and rubbed her hands all over my bare chest. She fumbled with the button on my jeans and pulled them off. I had forgotten that I didn't have any clean underwear and just went commando that day. She lay back onto the couch and I climbed on top of her. I plunged myself in and out. Hard and fast. I felt her walls get tight around me, I wanted to keep going, but I remembered I wasn't wearing a condom. When I felt my climax coming I pulled out and sat on the couch. I let my hand finish the job. A shot of cum pooled onto my abs and chest. Hannah got up from her position and crawled over to me. She licked my abdomen clean and then started to get dressed. I just marveled at her naked body.

"You might want to, too, Pretty Boy," she said as she pulled her shirt on. "Your baby brother could walk through that door at any second." I had forgotten about him. I rushed and got all of my clothes on. I gave Hannah a kiss as she walked out the door.

I walked into the kitchen and tried to find something to cook for dinner. I guessed since I was the only one home it was my night to cook.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"I'm home," a strong voice called from the door as it closed. The voice belonged to Darry.

"Hey, Dar," I shouted back. I was standing in the kitchen wearing Mom's old jean apron that she made from pieces of our old jeans when we were younger. I was making grilled boneless chicken breasts and mashed potatoes. Darry was sweaty and dirty, I guess that's what happens when you roof houses.

"Well, well, well, looky here," he remarked slowly. He smiled and ruffled my hair with his hand. "Whatcha cookin', Sodapop?"

"Chicken and potatoes. We'll eat when Pony gets back."

"Where'd he go?" he asked. I smacked his hand as he tried to dip his finger in the mashed potatoes.

"He had practice and then he went for a run." It wasn't until I said that that I realized that he might not know about the theater.

"Oh okay," he said nonchalantly. I ordered him to wash up for dinner; he rolled his eyes but complied. The door groaned as it opened a few seconds later. Pony walked into the kitchen and had furious tears running down his face. I turned off the stove and went over to him. I reached out to him but he turned me down. He paced the floor trying to calm down.

"What's wrong, Ponyboy?" I asked quietly. Darry came into the kitchen and I saw the worry flicker appear in his eyes. I reached over to him and guided him to a chair. I got him a glass of water from the sink. Darry and I sat down next to him. After a few gulps he was calmed down enough to talk.

"What happened, little buddy?" Darry said. Pony sniffled and started from the beginning, his voice was shaking, but he pushed through.

"Today at practice we did an exercise where some of the kids were parents and the others were their kids. Most of the kids are middle class and Socs. I was cast as a kid. And after we were all done they were all talking about how they hated their parents and that they wished that they didn't have them. And someone said 'Don't you hate your parents, too, Ponyboy?' and I exploded and said 'No, I don't! You guys should be grateful that your parents are still alive!' and then I ran out and ran here. I just miss them, guys."

"It's okay, Pone, it's okay," I mollified. I put my arms around him, Darry followed suit a moment later. Tears filled my eyes and we all three shuddered with sobs. We sat there and just held each other.

When we were all three cried out, I set the food on the table. Pony grabbed the silverware and Darry got out three plates. As we ate Pony spoke up.

"Do you guys remember when they would take us out to the country?" he asked. We both nodded. Those were my favorite weekends. "You remember how Dad would take us huntin', Dar?" I didn't go with them because I didn't like to kill things. I tried once but I just couldn't stomach it. Pony was the best shot in the family.

"Yeah, I do. We had so much fun out there. I miss how we would go out there and have a picnic and then pile blankets and pillows in the bed of the truck and all of us try to squeeze in there and sleep," Darry added.

"I always liked when we all went camping," I adjoined. Over Spring Break we would always go on a week-long camping trip. It was exuberant! "Mom and Dad would bring that Dutch oven and make funnel cakes and cookies."

"I remember that time when they went for a walk and we wanted to surprise them with a cake when they came back?" Darry said.

"Yeah! I was a little young and I don't remember everything that happened, but I do remember the mess and how much they laughed when they got back," Pony interjected.

"It was such a disaster! We never made a cake as bad as that!" I chimed. We laughed and spent the rest of the meal sharing camping stories.

"You know what would be fun?" Ponyboy said after a few seconds of quiet. "Next year for Spring Break we should go camping. The three of us or we could invite Hannah, Ever, Steve, Evie, and Two-Bit to come with."

"That's a great idea, Pone!" Darry said. "You can make all the plans for that, Ever would be happy to help you."

When we finished eating the phone rang, I was the first one to get to it.

"Hello?" I said.

"Hey, baby! You got work tomorrow?" Hannah asked.

"Um, yeah, babe, why?"

"Well I don't and I wanted to come and see you! Would that be okay?"

"Oh, yeah! That'd be great! I go in at like eight in the morning!"

"Well, then I'll see you at nine!" We said our goodbyes and then fought over who was going to hang up the phone first. I heard Ever yell, "Oh, goddamn! What the fuck does it matter!" Then the line went dead. My guess was that Ever hit the receiver and made her hang up. Pony wanted to watch TV, so we all sat on the couch. We had the choice between The Twilight Zone, The Andy Griffith Show, or Doctor Who. Ponyboy was one of the biggest Doctor Who fans that I ever heard of. I had never really watched the show so I had no idea what was going on. After we watched a couple of episodes, we were all getting tired. Darry turned the TV off and we went into the room Pony and I share. All three of us climbed into the Queen sized bed. I was in the middle of them.

"I love you guys," I muttered right as I fell asleep. I didn't wait for a reply; I just fell into a quiet, blissful sleep.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

In the morning I was shaken awake by Ponyboy. School began at 8:17, so I was going to drop him off on my way to work. He liked to be there early anyway and would probably start walking there as soon as I left. Darry had to be at work at 6:00 that morning, so he made breakfast and Pony and I had to do dishes before we left. Dar had put the pancakes in the oven on low so they didn't get cold. There really wasn't much talk between me and Pony as we ate because we had to leave soon. As I dressed I heard the TV turn on. When we left the house I had fifteen minutes to get to work which was more than enough.

"I got drama practice after school today," Ponyboy informed me as we pulled up to the school.

"Want me to pick ya up?" I questioned.

"Nah, I'll just walk. I just wanted ya to know so ya didn't worry." He grabbed his haversack and got out of the truck. As he walked away I noticed the redhead he was walking towards. He grabbed her hand and gave her a nice smacker on her lips. She cracked a smile. This redhead looked familiar. I tried to search my mind but a name just wouldn't come to me.

When I reached the DX, I noticed my boss's car sitting out front. He doesn't usually come except once or twice around the middle of the month. Josh, his son, who also works here, was out in the garage. I punched my timecard and headed into the store part.

"Hey, Pretty Boy Curtis," the boss man announced as soon as I walked through the door. I hated when people that I wasn't close to called me that. I was fine when my family and friends called me Pretty Boy, but I already hated my boss, and he was just making it worse.

"Yeah?" I rumbled. He slammed a box onto the counter. I opened the box and saw Christmas lights and decorations.

"I want you to decorate the DX today. Josh has the shop under control. When I come back this afternoon I want to see this place properly decorated. There are more boxes in the back. Understood?" he dictated.

"Yup," I grumbled. That was one of the things that really pissed me off. It was a gas station, why the hell did we need Christmas decorations?! And Josh didn't know the first goddamn thing about cars, why the hell did he get to work the garage?! I mean, he just sat back there and did absolutely nothing! No cars ever got worked on when he was working! I didn't want to get fired so I started to untangle all of the lights.

I heard the bell above the door jingle a while later. I was screwing hooks under the lip of the counter so I could hang icicle lights underneath of it. A pair of hands went over my eyes.

"Guess who," the voice said.

"Um, Hannah?" I asked.

"No, you fool!" Then I realized who it was.

"Hey, Ever. Can I stand up? My knees are getting cramped." She stepped away and I stood up. Hannah was standing behind the counter going through the boxes of decorations that were left for me. She was wearing a red crop top with Elvis printed across her chest, a pair of black leggings, and black ballet flats. Her hair was straightened and her makeup was done like always. Hannah always looked amazing in red. I turned to look at Ever, but she was already gone.

"Hey, baby," I said.

"Hey! What's with all the Christmas stuff?" she asked.

"Boss wants me to decorate today."

"I love Christmas! Can I help?" she pleaded.

"Sure, if ya really want to," I answered.

We hung lights up all around the outside and inside DX. We also put big Christmas tree and Santa Claus stickers in the windows. A few greasers had passed in and out and couldn't keep their eyes up when Hannah turned around. I hated when other guys looked at her. It was like they were scoping out a piece of meat at the grocery store that they're going to take home and eat, but hell if I ever let them touch her. Josh had come in and said, "Damn, maybe I should work in here more often," when he saw Hannah.

I wanted to be with Hannah for the rest of my life. Christmas was coming up and I had finally figured out what I was going to get her. We had talked about marriage before, but never really seriously. I was finally ready, she made me so happy. Her smile, her life, her advice, the way she loved life just like me, I was ready to make this woman my wife. I just hoped she wanted me to be her husband. I already had butterflies in my stomach and I hadn't even bought the ring yet. I decided to get Ever to go with me to help pick one out. She knew what kind of jewelry Hannah liked better than I did.

After we finished beautifying the DX with Christmas ornamentation, Hannah sat on the counter and I stood behind it. A question popped into my mind that I thought Hannah would know the answer to.

"Hey, Hann," I said accidentally cutting her off midsentence. "Do you know a redhead? I saw her with Pony this morning. She looked familiar, but I just couldn't place a name with her face."

"Yeah, the only one I know is a Soc," she answered.

"She looked Soc-y, I guess. What's her name?"

"Sherry Valance, she's a cheerleader. Everyone calls her Cherry though. Um, last year, she was a part of all that. She testified that it was self-defense. She's a good kid; you ain't got nothin' to worry about." I remembered her then. She helped us a lot. She acted as the ambassador between us and the Socs when the rumble was being set up. I didn't know why she changed her mind; I remember Pony telling me that she said they were just too different or something. I guess Pony was right when he told me that Socs and greasers and middle class kids were mixing together and it wasn't going to be long before there weren't any classes of people anymore.

I was still kind of hurt that he didn't tell me about them. He just used to tell me everything and talk to me about so much, he was my best buddy. I guess when I started hanging out with Hannah a lot I severed my friendship with him. We barely said two words to each other unless I'm stopping a fight. I just wished I could fix it, that I could make everything better, but I can't always.

My boss came back at 1:45 right before my shift ended. He gave our decorating job an A. Hannah was stocking a shelf while he was talking to me. I saw his eyes wander down whenever I started talking. I almost slapped him and I would've if I didn't need this job, which is the same reason that I didn't kill Josh. Once we finished talking he walked over to Hannah. I saw his hand reach up and touch her ass right before I saw the back of her hand connect with his face. He stepped away and walked to the garage. He didn't look at me or say anything as I punched in my timecard and left with Hannah.

On the car ride back to their apartment Hannah asked me if I would go on a double date with Ever and Two-Bit. I guessed it would be a good idea so I said sure. I tried to go inside with Hannah, but she knew what I had in mind and said no. I drove the rest of the way home in silence. Darry said that Jennifer was bringing dinner for us tonight so I didn't bother doing anything except sitting in the chair and watching reruns of M*A*S*H, The Andy Griffith Show, and I Love Lucy. When Pony got home I didn't ask him about Cherry because I knew he would tell me when he wanted me to know. Dinner was great. Jennifer was a pretty decent cook. After Pony finished reading he turned the lights out and we went to bed. I wasn't too tired, but I had to be at work at 6:00 the next morning.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

A week later I finally got Ever alone and asked her about helping me pick out a ring. We were at the DX while Hannah was at work.

"Woe, woe, woe, what?" she exclaimed. "You want to marry her? Now?" I was confused because she and Dallas were going to get married a month ago.

"Yes, I want to marry her. Now, forever, always," I explained as she walked around to the other side of the counter. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No, absolutely not, it's just I was wrong about you, Pretty Boy." She shook her head and grinned.

"What do you mean 'wrong about me'? What did you think about me?" I asked confused.

"When you and Hannah started dating, I warned her. You're a greaser boy, an attractive one at that, and they don't like to be tied down to just girl. You get what I'm saying, Curtis? I told her to be careful and not get hurt. But, I was wrong." I really didn't know what to say to that. I didn't know this is how Ever really felt about me. I just kind of nodded my head. I tried not to look hurt, but that's hard for me. "So, I will help ya. When do you wanna go?"

"When is the next time you don't have work and Hannah does?" She thought for a second.

"Next Tuesday, I believe," she said.

"Okay, boss said that I can get off any day that I want next week so I'll just tell him I'm takin' off then."

I called my boss the next day and asked him if it was okay to take off Tuesday. He told me that it would be fine and hung up without another word. A charmer, that one was. I circled December 17th on my calendar. The day that I was finally going to make the only purchase that will matter. Her engagement ring.

I woke up early on Tuesday, I was too excited. Ever and I were going to the jeweler's two towns over to pick out a ring. We couldn't leave until Hannah left for work at ten. Since I was up so early I took Pony to school. Cherry Valance was standing outside of the school waiting for Ponyboy again, just like every morning that I dropped him off. He still hadn't said anything to me about her so I left him alone. He probably didn't want me meddling in his love life like I had tried to before. When I got back to the house I showered and got dressed. I ate my regular breakfast of grape jelly, chocolate cake and eggs while I watched TV. I left the house at ten o'clock and headed over to Ever's. When I got there she sitting on the steps wearing a grey Mickey Mouse sweater, medium wash skinny jeans, and black converses. She had straightened her hair and wore a little more eye makeup than usual. She got into the truck wordlessly and then we were off.

The store was an old-fashioned little place that looked like it didn't get very much business. Ever and I went straight to the engagement rings when we got there. The store clerk misjudged us and thought that we were together, but after we set him straight he showed us some rings.

"Is there anything that she likes in particular?" he inquired. I thought for a second of all of the things that she liked.

"Well, she likes the winter," I offered up. He nodded and pulled out a tray of rings. One was a tiny snowman, it was cute, but not really her style; another was a Christmas tree, again cute, but it just not her style. The one that caught my eye must've caught Ever's at the same time because I heard her breathe catch a little. It had a diamond in the center and smaller diamonds on the outside, it was a snowflake. They were Hannah's favorite. I knew it was the one, but I looked over at Ever just to be sure. She was nodding her head up and down; I saw tears forming in her eyes. I told the clerk that was the one I wanted. When he asked for a size I looked at Ever, it was her job to get her ring size.

"Nine," she managed to choke out.

"Well, we have that size in stock. Would you like to leave with it today?" he asked. I nodded my head. I had drained my bank account that my parents left for me; each one of us got one. I paid the $1,500 dollars up front and in cash. He looked at me suspiciously, but took the cash anyway. We stopped at a Dairy Queen on the way home. I went to sleep that night with the ring box in the nightstand beside me. It was exactly a week and a day before the day I was going to ask her to marry me.

The week flew by and before I knew it I was sitting on the couch with Hannah on Christmas Eve. Our whole group was sitting in the living room just talking. I slept that night with one arm around Pony and one around the love of my life.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

I woke up to Pony and Hannah jumping up and down on the bed trying to wake me up. I snuck a glance at the clock next to the bed. It was 6 in the morning. I tried not to groan audibly because I just wanted to go back to bed. I took one look at the pouting faces in front of me and caved. Hannah bent down and kissed me, a sweet peck. I was looking forward to getting one of those every morning for the rest of my life. The three of us crept into Darry's room and started jumping on his bed, waking him and Jennifer.

"What in the hell?" Darry exclaimed half asleep.

"C'mon, Superman! Get up! Get Up!" Hannah shouted as she shook his shoulders. Jennifer rolled out of bed and went to the bathroom, but Darry just flipped over and buried his face into his pillow. Then Ponyboy joined Hannah in shaking him. They were both shouting "Get up! Get up! It's Christmas! Get UP!" I thought, _"Oh, fuck it! If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!" _ Then all three of us were jumping up and down and trying to get Darry up.

"Fine!" Darry yelled. We started cheering and hugging. "What time is everyone else coming?" he asked impatiently.

"Eight o'clock on the dot!" Hannah beamed. We all went to the kitchen and Jennifer and Darry started to make breakfast. Hannah, Pony, and I sat at the kitchen table. I was shaking from nerves. Ever and Two-Bit were the only people that knew what I was planning.

Hannah had always loved the snow and winter; she had always wanted a white Christmas. But living in Tulsa, Oklahoma isn't going to give you a white Christmas. She always hoped for one anyway, she was just a hopeful person. I was going to give her a white Christmas, though. The store was selling snowflake confetti, so I asked Ever and Two-Bit to buy as much as they could get. It was inexpensive so they bought the store out. They hid the confetti at Two's house. When it came time for me to ask her, I was going to get her outside and they were going to hide themselves on top of the roof and throw the confetti on top of us. I had to wait until right before dinner because I was going to take her out, so that it'd be just the two of us.

When everyone arrived we sat in the living room to exchange gifts. No one got anything big, we got small things for each other and the rule was one gift person and two people or more people could go in on a gift together if they wanted to. One person would give all of their gifts out and then everyone would open it. And like always, we started with Ponyboy. Him and I went in on a new tool belt for Darry. I also helped him buy a shower gel set for Jennifer. He got Steve and Two-Bit ball caps. Then all of the boys and Jennifer went in on a tool set for me. I guess they want me to fix stuff around the house. Then it was my turn, I got Two-Bit a bottle opener that he could put on his key ring; Hannah and I got Steve jumper cables; Darry, Jennifer, and I went in on a new psychology book for Ever; Darry, Jennifer, and I also went in on Oliver Twist for Ponyboy. I saved Hannah's for last. When she opened the box it was a diamond snowflake necklace that went with the ring. Hannah got Ever a mint green sweater. Hannah gave me a box that was roughly the size of the one I gave her. Inside was a blank dog that had a small heart etched into the bottom right corner, on the back _'H.C.W. + S.P.C.' _was etched. I immediately put in on. I leaned over and planted a kiss on her forehead and whispered a thank you in her ear. Ever had gotten Hannah a wrap ring that had 'lil sis' embossed on it with a snowflake on the inside, Ever put hers on that said 'big sis' and fire on the inside. Two-Bit got Ever a gold Mickey Mouse necklace. We didn't have a big Christmas, like the Socs and middle class kids, but it was enough. It was perfect.

I had been shaking all day. I was so nervous that I barely spoke, afraid of saying the wrong thing and blurting out my plans. At around 5:40 Hannah went to the bedroom to go get dressed for dinner. She came out looking as beautiful as ever. She was wearing a strapless dress that had red sequins at the top and the bottom was about three layers of black material that stopped mid-thigh. She put on a red cardigan sweater that was the same red as her dress. Her red lipstick also went with her ensemble. Her eyeliner was winged out and her mascara was put on thick. I was wearing the same thing I wore to Thanksgiving dinner. About five minutes before we left, Ever and Two-Bit "left" and got in position. I had grabbed the ring and put it into my right pants pocket.

I took Hannah by the hand and led her outside. Once we hit the path to the street confetti started to fall on us. My heart began to race.

"What the—" Hannah exclaimed. I stopped and took her hands. A smile grew on both of our faces. I looked her straight into the eyes.

"Hannah Charlene Waters. I have known you for a long time. I fell in love with you the day that my eyes were graced with your presence, I just didn't realize. You are a beautiful, strong, amazing, magnificent, flawless wonder. I want to be able to wake up next to you every single day. I love you with all my heart. I want to be by your side through thick and thin. Baby, you are the reason that I get up in the morning most of the time. Your smile melts my heart and I am a hundred percent sure that no one could ever make me feel the way that you do. It would never be the same and it would just never be better. Nothing in this world could ever make me feel the way that you do. Not anything, honey." I got down on one knee and pulled the box from my pocket. With the hand that wasn't holding mine, Hannah covered her mouth. I saw tears pooling in her eyes. "Hannah, I want to spend every day with you for the rest of my life." I popped open the box and presented the ring to her. "Will you marry me?" She started nodding her head.

"Yes, yes, Sodapop, I will," she repeated over and over. I took the ring out of the box and placed it on her ring finger. I got up and pulled her into a tight hug. I placed a kiss on the top of her head.

We went to dinner and had a nice time. When we came back, we told everyone the news. Ponyboy let me and Hannah sleep in my old bedroom by ourselves. I had my arms lazily placed around her, pulling her closer to me.

"Sodapop?" she said sleepily.

"Yeah, baby?"

"I love your name; it describes your personality so well. You're happy and bubbly and reckless and crazy. I love your hair and how you don't put as much grease in it as you used to because you know that I like it when it falls in your face. I love your eyes, they show so much emotion and I could just stare at them all day. Your smile is the most amazing one that I've ever seen. It makes me go weak in the knees. You flirt so much, but never on purpose. You have the cutest laugh that I've ever heard. It manages to be reckless and adorable at the same time. You are just a ball of energy; if you're not doing something it kills you. You've never pressured me to put out; you're perfectly okay with doing just this. You always try to cheer me up when I'm not in a good mood. You're an astounding brother to Dar and Pony. I'm glad you gave me this chance. You never fail to prove to me just how wonderful you really are. I just love so much about you. You're so bubbly and fizzy and happy and cute and handsome and wonderful and bright. I can't wait to marry you. We can watch TV at two in the morning while we eat eggs with grape jelly, chocolate milk and chocolate cake. We can have kids. I love you with every ounce of my being. I am head over heels in absolute love with you." She nuzzled her head into my chest and fell asleep.

"I'm in love with you, too," I whispered. I pulled her closer and fell asleep too. I was really and truly exultant. I couldn't wait until I could do this every night and wake up as happy as ever.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

The next few days went by slowly. I went to work, came home, some nights I slept with Pony, and the others I slept with Hannah. All of us were getting along pretty well. Jennifer turned out to be quite the comedian once you got to know her.

Ponyboy and Darry were fighting less and less each day, as a result of effort on both of their parts. Pony didn't stay out late unless it was on the weekends and called so we knew he wouldn't be home until late, and Darry didn't get on him about his grades and if he forgot to do the dishes. We started spending more time together as a family, Pony, Darry, Jennifer, Hannah, and I that is. Ponyboy had brought Cherry Valance home with him a few times and introduced us. She was a very decent girl, so I was confused as to why she was hanging with us greasers. But I remembered that Pony said the social barriers we coming down, which I thought was great. I didn't really know what it would be like for everyone to come together. Were we all going to hold hands and sing Kumbaya? Or were we going to have one last rumble that ends it all? Either way I would be glad when it was all over.

Ever and Pony had started working on our Spring Break plans. There was a cabin that we used to stay at when we camped a few times. We decided to go with the cabin instead of tents because we only had a couple of them. He booked the cabin for that whole week, so that we could spend a lot of time together without all of the distractions. So I guess it wasn't really _camping _anymore, more like a mini vacation in the woods.

Hannah and I were going on a double date with Ever and Two-Bit on Tuesday, which was New Year's Eve. We tried to invite Evie and Steve, but they said they already had plans. Two and I were picking the girls up at 8:00 and taking them to the bar. At around 7:30 I started getting ready by taking a shower. I didn't bother to shave because my face scruffy, the way Hannah liked it best. I put on a blue, black, cream, and purple plaid flannel and worn jeans. Around 7:50 or so while I was putting a little grease in my hair, Two-Bit showed up. He was wearing a white Mickey Mouse shirt and blue jeans. Once we were both ready we left for their apartment.

When we got there I honked the horn and got out of the truck with Two-Bit trailing behind me. By the time we got up to the door, Ever and Hannah were walking out. Hannah was wearing a black dress that was sheer from her shoulders to her cleavage. It had a Peter Pan collar that had rhinestones sewn on. There was a white belt with a white bow on it around her waist. Ever was wearing the same dress but in white with a black bow belt around her waist. They both had curled their hair and winged their eyeliner out. They were wearing way more eye makeup than usual, but that was okay. They both wore bright red lipstick. I had seen Hannah buy it before. The color is called "Blood of Your Ex", lovely name if you asked me. I took another once over of Hannah, and I had to make up a new word for how hot she looked. Fuckable. She looked very fuckable. If we weren't standing on her porch in the middle of winter with Ever and Two-Bit watching, I would have ripped the flimsy material from her body and fucked her right against this wall. We got into the car and drove off. The bar wasn't too far from their house. Ever was our designated driver for the night so I didn't worry about not drinking. Right when we got there I bought three beers. Hannah and I danced and talked all night. After maybe five or so beers and even more glasses of bourbon I felt myself get happy and weightless. I felt like I was floating. I started getting extra happy and giggling at everything. I was kissing Hannah's neck and playing with her hair. I made a few really bad jokes that I thought were funny in the moment.

"Hannah," I slurred.

"Yeah, baby?" she said. She still was pretty sober so she wasn't slurring yet.

"I want to fuck you," I said as seriously as possible.

"Um, no!"

"Why not?" I whined.

"Because you're drunk and acting like a six year old, I am certainly not having sex with a six year old!"

"No I am not!"

"Yes you are!"

"But, please?" I started to pout. She rolled her eyes and gave in.

"I'll give you a test and if you get all the questions right you can fuck me, okay?" I nodded my head thoroughly.

"What's your full name?"

"Sodapop Patrick Curtis."

"What's mine?" I thought for a second.

"Hannah Charlene Waters."

"What day is it?"

"New Year's Eve."

"Who did you come with?"

"Um, you!"

"Who else?"

"There were more?"

"Yes, now we are going home soon! Ever wanted to stay so her and Two could share their first New Year's kiss together here, so you have twenty minutes till we go!" I groaned and started to kiss Hannah. We had a few more drinks and started to make out in the corner before we were found by Ever.

"Hey, kids, Two is basically falling over so I need to get him home." I started pouting again and so did Hannah. We both acted like we were six when we were drunk. Ever dragged us both out of there by our hands. When we got to the truck I saw Two-Bit sitting in there already. Ever drove us to my house and said that we'd all stay there. She got Hannah and I into bed with Pony and got us a glass of water and some Advil. I wrapped my arms around Hannah and started to complain about how I didn't want to sleep, but Hannah was already gone. I heard funny noises coming from my old room and felt like I was going to get sick when I realized what they were. I nuzzled myself against Hannah and fell asleep to the moaning and grunting from the room next door.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

I woke up in the morning with a nasty headache and barely any recollection from the night before. I only really knew that I was with Hannah because my arms were draped around her waist and my head was buried into her neck. I really only remembered falling asleep that way. I got out of the bed slowly and quietly, careful not to wake Hannah. I was a bit wobbly at first, but quickly found my center of balance.

I realized how hungry I felt when the smell of bacon, eggs, and fried ham hit my nose. I could hear the popping and sizzling from the doorway. I walked in there to see Ever and Ponyboy making breakfast. There were three glasses of water and two blue pills in front of each glass lying on the counter. Ever turned around when she heard my grunt. I felt my stomach lurch and Ever was beside me instantaneously. She led me to the bathroom and guided me to the toilet. As I regurgitated what was left from the night before, I felt Ever's hand run up and down my back in a soothing motion. When I finished I brushed my teeth and washed my face like my parents made me when I was sick. I walked back into the kitchen and gratefully to tiny sips of the water and gulped down the pills. I didn't have the stomach to eat any of the fried foods so I grabbed a couple of crackers and took tiny bites. Around ten minutes later Hannah followed in my steps by making a beeline for the bathroom. Ever ran in after her and held her hair back with one hand and rubbed her back with the other.

Darry had work all day and so did Jennifer, but around three o'clock Jennifer came into the house.

"Hey, guys, you know how Dar's birthday is Sunday?" she asked as she approached the kitchen table. We all nodded. "Well, I kinda wanted to have a party for him! Like invite all of his friends from high school and reminisce!" I felt a pang of anger rise from my stomach.

"Jenn, I know that you grew up as a middle class kid, but do you honestly think that a load of Socs are gonna come here?" I countered. I felt a little angry that she would even think that inviting that slime to our house would be a good idea in any way, shape, or form.

"Well, I think they would," she said a little shyly from being rejected so quickly. "They hung out with him in high school, so why not now?"

"You're saying that we should invite a bunch of rich snobs to our 'greasey' house and just basically give them a free pass to 'accidentally' break the few valuable possessions that we do have? That's what you want us to do?" I grunted angrily and shot up from the table. Despite my pounding head and the voices behind me calling my name, I grabbed my car keys and jacket. I ran out of the door and into my truck. I pulled out quickly and drove fast and aimlessly. I needed to clear my head so my mind automatically drove me to the lake.

There was an old lake that was really abandoned a few years ago when a man was killed there. But whenever I got angry or sad or just needed a break, I went there. It had a calming effect on my mind. I grabbed some smooth rocks for skipping on my way down there. I was a little disappointed to see the shallow lake frozen over, but I managed.

Whenever I went there I ran through in my mind what brought me there. That time I thought about what had just happened, but not from my point of view, from everyone else's.

Jennifer saw me as an asshole. An asshole that shot down a great idea of a party before anyone else could answer. Ever saw what happened as a reasonable argument, but could've slapped me for the rude way that I presented it. Hannah saw it as a reason to yell at me. I was insolent to a good friend of hers. Pony saw it as a good point and didn't care about the way I said it. Two-Bit just wanted everyone to shut up because he was trying to sleep.

By doing that I realized that I was in the wrong and went to apologize after I finished calming down. She told me that the bad blood between me and the Socs was explained to her while I was gone and that she understood. They decided on just having a small get together of basically everyone sitting in the kitchen and a couple others.

Darry turned twenty-two on the 5th. I made a chocolate cake and Ever and Hannah fried chicken for dinner. We had fun with just the nine of us. Darry said that he preferred just us anyway. That night Darry, Pony, and I all slept in Pony's bed. As much as I loved sleeping with Hannah at night, it just felt right to be with them that night.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The next few days Hannah and I spent planning Ever's going away party and helping her pack to leave. Almost every time one cardboard box was sealed or plastic bag tied, another tear was shed from Hannah and Two-Bit's eyes. Don't get me wrong, I was sad that Ever was leaving, but I was excited to finally being able to live with Hannah. I wasn't trying to hurry her out, but I certainly wasn't trying to have her stay. I loved Ever and I wanted her to follow her dreams, and if following them meant me living with Hannah, then so be it! Ever was set to leave in four days on the 30th. I took off work for the week so I could be moral support. On Tuesday, three days before she left, the last box was packed into the car. Hannah started to cry really badly. She started to beg Ever to stay, but she knew she wouldn't win this fight.

"Hannah, you know I can't. Dal's dad already paid and can't get his money back. Plus, this is my dream, I can't give up on it," Ever said sensitively.

"B-but. I…I n-need y-you…" Hannah choked out.

"You have plenty of other people, Hannah, you don't need me." Hannah pulled away from the hug she encased Ever with.

"Yes, I do. I n-need you."

"I can't just stay because you need me! I love you, Hannah, but I can't! I need to live my own damn life and get out of this place, even if it's only for a little while! I can't stay here and be constantly reminded of Dallas! I can't! I have to leave!"

"No! I need you! The boys need you! Two-Bit needs you! Is getting a sheet of paper that says 'Congratulations, you left all of your friends who need you just to practice this shit that you think is important' really this high of a priority for you? Then, fine! Just don't come crying to me when they realize that you aren't worth one shit! Hell, you aren't even worth half of one!" Hannah immediately covered her mouth. When she gets mad, the words that she knows will hurt the most come out of her mouth. Tears started to form in Ever's eyes, unlike the last time they fought, she let them break through. She took the big sister ring off and threw it Hannah and then reached in her pocket. She took a key ring from her pocket that had a broken heart an elephant, Ever's favorite animal, engraved on it and threw it on the ground. Then she took her keys out and took the matching one with a giraffe, Hannah's favorite animal, engraved on it off and dropped it at her feet.

"Thanks for everything guys," Ever stammered as she turned on her heels and ran away. Hannah crumpled to the ground and started to cry. I heard her repeating, "I just want her to stay. I need her. I…I need her…" I tried to put a calming hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged me off.

Ever didn't come home until Wednesday, the night we planned her going away party. When she walked inside she ignored all of my attempts to get her to talk to me.

"Ever, please, please talk to me. Hannah didn't mean that stuff. Really, she didn't. Please, please baby, please talk to me. Say something. Anything."

"Fuck off. I'm not in the mood for this." She turned around and I finally got a good look at her face. She had a black eye and red scratches going down her face. I put my hands on her shoulders and made her look me in the eyes. She tried to get away from me, but I held her firmly.

"Ever, tell me who did this to you." She looked away from me and stopped squirming. "Ever Ann, tell me now." She still didn't answer. "Was it Shepard?" She shook her head and started to cry. "Ever, look at me. Who did it?"

"Sylvia. Sylvia did it. We got into it at the Dingo." Sylvia was one of Dally's side girls that he was with when he and Ever were fighting. Dally wasn't the best boyfriend to her, but he got better towards the end. They were in love and Sylvia tried to break them up more than once. I knew once she said Sylvia that Sylvia made her feel like shit about herself.

"I just want to talk to Hannah, can I do that? Please."

"You can try. She's in the bedroom."

"Is she mad at me?"

"No, but she hasn't stopped beating herself up or crying since it happened." Ever cursed under her breath and I followed her to the bedroom. When Hannah saw Ever she started to cry even harder. I was surprised that she hadn't run out of tears yet. Ever walked over to the bed and hugged her. They seemed to cry into each other for about an eternity. Ever and Hannah knew each other so well that they could have a conversation without saying a word, apparently that went for making up too. When they both pulled themselves together, they released each other.

That night we went to the going away party that was being held at my house for Ever. Halfway through the party Two-Bit and Ever went to my bedroom to say their best goodbye, which I learned from Hannah was only their second time; New Year's being their first. It didn't surprise me all that much, but still did a little. When they rejoined the party I was surprised that her makeup wasn't running and she looked like she did when we first got here.

We got up at six the next morning because Ever was supposed to leave at eight. She got all of her last minute things packed and put in the car. Pony, Darry and Steve got their hugs first. Then I got mine.

"Take care of Hannah, please," she whispered in my ear.

"I will. Take care of yourself."

"I love you, Soda."

"I love you, too." I hugged her tighter because I finally realized how much I wanted her to stay. After a few minutes she said, "Okay, baby, you can let go." Two-Bit got his hug next, he was a crying mess. He kissed her sweetly and hugged her for a while. She tried to soothe him by telling him she'd be home in a little over a month for Spring Break, but there wasn't anything that could calm him. She said something that I hadn't heard before.

"It's okay. Once you graduate you get to come live with me and we can be together. It's gonna be okay." It didn't surprise me, but I didn't want him to go either. Hannah got her hug last and she was sobbing into Ever's shoulder the whole time. I have a feeling that they did another one of their conversations where they speak with no words, without even looking at each other. Then we all gave her a group hug, she told us how much she loved each of us, she got into the car and started to drive away. Two was running after the car and yelling his pleas for her to stay. He dropped to the road after a good ways down it. I could hear the sobs that were racking his body from the apartment. I kept myself together even though I wanted to be there with Two-Bit begging and sobbing. I had to stay strong for the others because even Darry was crying. I would cry later when I was by myself. I went down the road and got Two and brought him back to the house. I got him a glass of water and tucked him into bed. I did the same thing with Ponyboy and Hannah. Steve had gone back to Evie's and Darry was at Jennifer's. I sat at the kitchen table alone and after I was sure they were all asleep, I began to cry. I missed her and she was barely gone. After a while of me weeping I felt a hand come down on my back.

"It's okay, Sodapop," Pony said. He rubbed his hand around my back and repeated, "It's okay, baby, just let it out." I cried for all the times I hadn't. I cried for Ever, for Johnny, for Dally, for Two-Bit. I cried for hours, until I couldn't anymore. When I was completely and totally emotionally drained, Pony tucked me into bed with Hannah. I wrapped my arms around her and fell asleep easily.


	30. Chapter 30

***SMUT WARNING***

Chapter 30

The next week was rough on everyone. I hadn't seen a smile on Hannah or Two-Bit's face since Ever left. She called every night and never talked for a long time because of the cost of long distance calls. She told us that her classes were going well and she was having fun. It wasn't too obvious, but I could tell that she wasn't having as much fun as she lead us to believe it was. After a while Hannah and Two got over their sadness and rejoined the gang. I went to work every day that I had to and stayed home with Hannah on the days that she had off.

I loved living with her. I got to wake up every morning and know she'd be there and go to sleep every night with my arms around her. I could make her ridiculous meals for her whenever I wanted. I could kiss her whenever I just craved one. I could touch her whenever my fingers desired the feel of her soft skin. I could satisfy my needs whenever we both were in the mood. I could stay up all night and watch TV with her. I could turn the music on and dance with her. I loved it. I couldn't wait to have kids with her and have a small little house like we wanted.

Steve and I went Valentine's Day shopping together. He ended up getting Evie a box of chocolates and a stuffed frog that had "I love you" written across its belly in red calligraphic letters. I ended up getting Hannah chocolates, a stuffed giraffe, and an Elvis record. Two-Bit had mailed his to Ever a week before. He got her a stuffed elephant, Mickey Mouse ears, and sent her his favorite Mickey Mouse shirt. Hannah just wanted to stay home, but I convinced her to let me take her out for dinner.

Hannah didn't let me stay at the apartment to get ready; she made me go back to my house. She didn't want the surprise outfit to be ruined. I put on a generic black suit, white shirt, and black tie, since I didn't know what Hannah was going to wear. I didn't shave and I put very little grease in my hair. I left to pick up Hannah at 5:20. I was taking her to a restaurant about thirty minutes out of town. I got to the door and knocked on it like a gentleman when I got there. Hannah answered it wearing a strapless, short, red dress that hugged all of her curves. The top was covered in gold sparkles that got scarcer as it got closer to the bottom. Her eyeliner was winged out and she had on red lip-stick that matched her dress. She straightened her long blonde hair so that it fell almost at her waist. I went to kiss her, but she turned her face so that my lips fell on her cheek.

"My fiancé would _kill_ me if he knew that I was kissing a boy just as handsome as he," she whispered.

"Well, mine would kill me if she even thought I was kissing a girl as beautiful as she." I took her hand and lead her to the truck. After I helped her in, I went around to my side and got in. She slide over to the middle of the truck and put a hand on my knee. As I started the truck I looked over at her. She bit her lip and looked me up and down. She started to move her hand on the inside of my thigh. Her perfect lips found their way to my ear.

"Why don't we just skip dinner?" she breathed into my ear. In one fluid movement she got up and straddled my lap. She bent down and started to kiss me. It was a sweet, innocent kiss, but I pulled away as she started to untie my tie and unbutton my shirt.

"I thought your fiancé would kill you if you kiss a boy as handsome as him?" I asked breathlessly.

"Well, he'll have to deal." She started to kiss me again, but more passionately. She let her tongue run along the outside my lips before she slipped inside. I fumbled with truck door and finally found the handle as she stripped me of my jacket. I swung the door open and put my arms around Hannah's waist. I carefully got out, not wanting to break the kiss for anything. When I got to the porch I shoved her up against the wall while I fumbled with the keys.

"I thought that that fiancé of yours would kill you if you did something like this," she said anxiously against my lips.

"She'll be a'ight," I said as I finally got the door opened. I put my arms around her as we started to kiss again and I carried her inside. I set her on the table and started to rub up and down her thighs with my hands.

"You're hands are really, like, big," Hannah breathed against my ear.

"Do you want to see what I can do with these, _like_, big hands?" She nodded as she attached her lips to my neck. I put my hand under the hem of her dress and started to rub around her thigh. I went to grab her underwear, but my hands found no fabric. Something told me that she didn't expect to make it to dinner. I didn't stop though. I put two of my fingers on the outside of her slit. I massaged all around until she was squirming against my fingers. I slowly put the fingers inside of her and curled them in and out. She started to muddle with my belt as I sped up. By the time she was close to cumming I was wearing nothing but my shirt that was only half on. I stripped that off as well as Hannah's dress before I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. I went into the nightstand by the bed and tried to find a condom.

"Sodapop?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't bother. I'm ready." She didn't need to elaborate for me to know what she meant. "I mean, only if you are too."

"I am." I closed the drawer and joined her on the bed. I teased her for a second by putting only the tip in. She started to laugh and just said "Come on, Sodapop!" I listened to her and put the whole thing in. I pulled myself in and out; I wanted this time to be the most special. I sped up for a few minutes and then slowed down. I kissed her lips sweetly and kept telling her how much I loved her. I could never get enough of her. I wanted to stay like that forever, just me and her with nothing in between.

As I released inside of her I felt amazing. For the first time I didn't have to worry about the consequences because we were both ready. We were both ready to have kids and get married and live together for the rest of our lives. That was the happiest I ever was.

That night we fell asleep with our arms around each other, almost like we were hugging. I was excited for the rest of my life. I was ready.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Every night that Hannah and I were together, we tried. It was something that we both wanted so badly. Those nights were the best that I had ever had. It wasn't just sex. I was making love to her. We were trying to make a baby, the one thing that we wanted the most, a family, a family that we could call our own. About a month after Valentine's Day, one of Hannah's pregnancy tests came out positive. Sunday, March 16th, 1969. The date would be burnt in my head for the rest of my life.

"Sodapop!" I heard a gleeful voice squeal from the bathroom. I ran from the bedroom into the bathroom with Hannah. Before I could even get a word out she burst out with what she was so ecstatic about "SODAPOPTHETESTISPOSITIVE!" It took me a moment to completely process what she said. Once I did my mouth grew into a loopy, reckless grin.

"The test is positive," I marveled, Hannah nodded in response; her grin was just as big as mine. I ran my hands through my hair. "The test is positive. The test is positive! The test is POSITIVE! OH MY GOD THE TEST IS POSITIVE!" I pulled Hannah into a big bear hug and kissed the top of her head. I couldn't stop cheering.

After we finished celebrating and we calmed down a bit, enough to have a normal conversation, Hannah told me that I needed to go to the store and buy different brand tests, just so we could figure out if it was a fluke or not. I bought five different ones and brought them back to the apartment. Hannah looked at me in disbelief.

"You expect me to pee on five different sticks?" I nodded more enthusiastically than I needed to. I was still so excited from the first test. "Fine, get me lots of water." She smirked and closed the bathroom door. I went to the kitchen and found the biggest glass that I could. I filled it halfway with ice from the freezer and then filled it up with water. I walked back to the bathroom and handed the glass to her.

"Thanks, baby," she said. She had already put two of the five tests aside. We had to wait fifteen minutes before the results came back, pink for positive and blue for negative. After she took them all we stepped back into the bedroom and set a timer. Hannah picked up one of the few books Ever left behind and started reading it to me. She told me that it was one of Ever's favorites and she left it because Hannah had never read it.

"_When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow. When it healed, and Jem's fears of never being able to play football were assuaged, he was seldom self-conscious about his injury…_" It surprised me that _To Kill A Mocking Bird_ was one of her favorites.

But what surprised me even more was that Hannah was calm enough to read, especially aloud. I couldn't even sit still. I was so happy. Hannah was the love of my life and she was possibly pregnant. Pregnant. I still could barely wrap my head around the fact that I was going to be a father, the father of a child that would be birthed by the most beautiful creature God created. I was so excited for the rest of our infinity. I just listened to her voice. It was wonderful. It paused at the right places and was strong. I couldn't stop thinking about how lucky I was.

When the timer rang, Hannah closed her book and we raced to the bathroom. When I saw the tests my stomach started to do somersaults. I looked over at Hannah and saw that we were seeing the same thing.

There wasn't a blue test in the bunch. They were all pink.

"Hannah," I said as calmly as possible, "they're all pink. They are all PINK, Hannah! THEY ARE ALL PINK!" I pulled Hannah into a hug and she started to cry on my shoulder. I felt tears running down my face, too. Happy tears. They are the best ones you'll encounter.

It took us an hour to calm down. We wept, we cheered, we hugged, and we jumped around. Hannah was pregnant.

"I have to tell Ever." I grabbed her arm as she started to rise from the couch.

"No, not yet, we need to make a doctor's appointment and we should wait until your farther along. Plus, this isn't something that you do over the phone."

"But I need to tell her. She's my best friend."

"I know, but…how about this: we wait until Spring Break when we are all at the cabin and we tell everyone at the same time?" She nodded and sat back down on the couch with me. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her sweetly. We lie back on the couch and fell asleep. It had been a long day and we had tired us out from all of the excitement.

On Monday I made Hannah an appointment for Tuesday with the doctor. We sat in the same waiting room that we did a couple months before, except this time we were happy. We got called back and I sat in the same room as before. Doctor Schumacher took Hannah away for thirty minutes like he did before. I sat and read the pregnancy magazines that were displayed. By the time that Hannah came back I had only learned the word 'listeriosis' and that sex during pregnancy is healthy for the baby. Hannah sat next to me and held my hand. The doctor came back fifteen minutes later.

"Well, I have news. I don't know if it will be good or bad, but it's news." He paused for a second while he opened the manila folder in his hands. "Mrs. Curtis, you are pregnant." A huge goofy grin spread across my face. I looked over at Hannah to see the same thing happening to hers. I gripped her hand tighter and pulled her to my chest. Tears started to form in my eyes.

"As far as the tests show the fetus is healthy and you should be expecting around mid-to-late November. Congratulations." He escorted us out and started talking about bi-weekly checkups. I listened closely because I couldn't screw up. Everyone thought that I was perfect and didn't make mistakes, but I made plenty of mistakes and screwed up royally every day.

When we got out to the truck, I kissed Hannah passionately.

"Baby, we're having a baby," I said.

"I know, I can't wait, Sodapop." Tears started to form in her eyes.

"Shh, babe, it's okay." I rubbed my hand over her back.

"I'm just so happy to be carrying your kid, my kid, _our _kid."

"I am too, sugar." After Hannah stopped crying I decided to tell her about what I learned. "So while I was waiting for you, I learned something interesting."

"What's that, babe?"

"Well, I learned that it's healthy for the baby if you have sex during pregnancy."

"Really, baby?"

"Yeah!" She scooted closer to me and put her mouth up to my ear.

"And just how early should this sex start?"

"Well, it should start as soon as possible. You don't want to take anything healthy for a baby away."

"Then that settles it, we'll start ASAP."

When we got inside the apartment, we raced to the bedroom. Loser was on bottom. She let me win on purpose. I propped myself up on my elbows and bent down and started to kiss her neck. She fumbled with the buttons on my shirt and let her hands explore my bare chest and back once she stripped it from my body. I pulled Hannah's shirt off and made my down to her hips. As I started to take off Hannah's leggings and underwear there was a knock at the bedroom door. I almost jumped out of my skin. I turned to see who it was. Pony was standing there flush red, holding a letter, and crying. I got off the bed and went over to him.

"What's wrong, baby?" I asked. He held out the letter in his hand for me to take. The envelope was addressed to Mr. Sodapop Curtis from the US Government. A shock ran through my body. My hands were shaking as I opened the letter.

_"Dear Mr. Sodapop Curtis,_

_As you know there is a war going on over in Vietnam. We are running low on soldiers. The US Army needs you. When you turned 18 you had to sign up for Selective Service, your name has been chosen. You are to report to your state's US Army base for training at 0800 on Monday, June 23__rd__, 1969."_


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

My heart dropped to my stomach. My legs buckled at my knees and I fell to the floor. Sobs racked my body as I realized exactly what that meant. I wouldn't get to see Pony turn 16, I wouldn't get to see my baby born, and I would have to leave everyone and everything behind. It wasn't fair. Life just hated me. It gave me what I wanted and needed, and then pulled it out from under me with no warning.

Hannah got off the bed and came over to me. She put a hand on my back and pried the letter from my hands. A few seconds later, from the corner of my eye, I saw the letter flutter to the floor. How could something that flutters so gracefully cause so much pain? Hannah stood frozen as I rose and pulled her into a hug. We sobbed into each other's shoulders. I reached my arm out to Ponyboy and he joined us in our hug. We stood there for what seemed like forever. I would have enjoyed it if my life wasn't falling apart. If it didn't feel like my heart was being ripped from my chest and pummeled, I would have smiled and been happy to have them so close.

When we pulled away from each other, Hannah and I got dressed and we drove back to my house with Pony. I didn't want to announce to my family that I had to go to Vietnam. I didn't want to tell them that I was going to have to leave them. I didn't want to go in the first place. I was needed there. They needed me and I needed them. I couldn't leave them, not without leaving everything that I lived for behind me. I couldn't leave. Ever. I just couldn't. I couldn't cause them pain. So much pain had been inflicted on our little family the past three years and I couldn't be one of the things to cause even more pain. I was scared too. It was war after all. I was afraid of being shot at. I was afraid of the possibility of coming home in a brown wooden box, or not coming home at all.

My brain wouldn't work; it was hard for me to drive in my own lane. I couldn't feel anything. I was just…just…broken. I could barely stand when we walked up to the door of my house. Darry was sitting in the kitchen reading the newspaper and Steve and Two-Bit were laying on the floor in the living room playing cards. When Pony closed the door, all eyes turned to us. Darry set the paper down and walked over to the living room. Steve and Two-Bit set down their cards and stood up. I must have looked like I was about to topple over because Darry and Steve put their arms around me and lead me to the couch.

"What's wrong, honey?" Darry asked carefully. He kept his strong arm around my shoulders, keeping me from falling back onto the couch. I couldn't speak, but I heard Pony say something and give the letter to Darry. After a few seconds I saw Darry's face fall and he handed the letter to Steve. Two-Bit read over Steve's shoulder. Steve sat on the couch and placed a hand on mine. I had never seen Steve cry as hard as he did. I was going to lose my best friend. I might never see him again. I might never see any of these people that I care about most, ever again.

"It's gonna be okay," I heard Two-Bit soothe as he gently rubbed Steve's back. I looked over to see silent tears running down Two's face. They could get along without me, but I couldn't get along without them. I needed them so badly. I've never needed anyone as much as I needed them at that moment. I looked over to see tears running down Darry's face.

That night I had to call Ever and tell her.

"W-what?" Ever stuttered when I told her. I heard sniffling coming from the other end. "Y-you c-can't."

"I know, baby, just breathe."

"S-soda," she said after a couple of minutes of silence. "I'm gonna d-drop out. I'm c-coming back and I'm g-gonna h-help out. I'm g-gonna take care o-of Hannah."

"No, Ever, you need to stay there. Get your education."

"No, I can't t-take being a-away from y-you g-g-guys. I have to take c-care of Hannah. Just don't tell anyone. I need to be the one to. I'm gonna pile everything in my car and announce it when we're at the cabin. I want to spend every second with you guys." I almost started to tell her about the baby, but that was Hannah's announcement. I told her that I loved her and we hung up.

It seemed like forever until Friday, March 21st to come around. Ever drove in from California and it was the last school day for Pony, Steve, Two and Evie. Darry took off for the day and helped me pack, so did Hannah. Ever gave me a kiss on the cheek and told me how much she missed me. She did the same for Darry and Hannah. Once school got out, Steve brought home Pony and Evie. Two-Bit followed them in his car. Ever gave Steve and Pony a kiss on the cheek and pretended to ignore Two-Bit when he asked where his was. Jennifer showed up about thirty minutes later.

When we got to the cabin, Ever and Two went straight to a room. I wanted to take Hannah into one, but she told me that I would have to wait until after the announcement at dinner tonight. Steve and Evie followed suit of Ever and Two and went into a room. Darry and Jennifer started working on dinner. Since the kitchen here was bigger than the one at home, Hannah and I went in there and helped them. Ponyboy decided to go on a walk because he couldn't take all of the noises.

We had set the table for the nine of us and called the lovers for dinner. Darry went out to find Pony. Once everyone was dressed and in the dining room we said our prayer. After we all finished eating our baked chicken and grilled corn on the cob everyone started to catch up. I stood and cleared my throat.

"Everyone," I said, "Hannah and I have some news." Hannah rose up beside me and smiled. I dawned on me that Darry might be a little angry. I wanted to sit back down and take it back, but I couldn't.

"I'm pregnant," Hannah beamed. There was a mixed crowd of reactions. Evie and Steve were smiling and so was Jenn. Pony looked a little shocked and Darry's jaw was set. I could tell that he was angry and that I would have to deal with this later. Ever looked like she was going to shoot bullets through my head, _both of them actually_, and Two-Bit was cheering and clapping. After us, Ever stood up for her announcement.

"Okay, so, in light of recent events and the fact that I hate stuck up snobs that go to a rich person school, I will not be returning after this little break. I am going to transfer to the community college not too far from the high school." Hannah jumped up and started cheering. Two-Bit stood up and started to kiss her. They didn't come up for air for a few minutes. Once they did Hannah got the hug that she was waiting for.

After we got everything cleaned up the girls sat in the living room with Pony and got the dish on all of the sophomore drama. Steve and Two-Bit sat at the table and played cards. I was about to join them when Darry's strong hand came down on my shoulder.

"Let's take a walk," he grumbled. I wanted to decline, but I knew that I didn't have a choice. When we got a good distance from the cabin, Darry started to talk. "Sodapop Patrick Curtis, I don't know if I should beat you to death or give you a hug. Did you guys want this or was it a surprise?"

"Well, we were trying this time, Darry. We're ready. But, we didn't confirm the pregnancy until before I got the letter, or we wouldn't have. I'm kinda glad we did though, just in case."

"Well, in that case I'll hug ya. When are ya gonna marry her, little buddy?"

"I ain't sure yet, but as soon as I can. I was thinkin' 'bout just goin' to the courthouse and eloping, nothing too fancy. But Hannah kinda likes the idea of a backyard wedding." He nodded his head like he understood, but I could see wheels turning in his mind.

When we got back Hannah said that she was ready to turn in, but by the sparkle in her eye, I knew that she didn't want to sleep just yet. After the bedroom door closed behind us, I gentled pinned her up against it and started kissing her. She fumbled with the buttons on my shirt and pulled it off. I broke the kiss to strip Hannah off her shirt. I left a trail of kisses down to her stomach.

"Does the baby like the kisses?" I asked.

"Mmmm," she replied.

"Well I know something that the baby would like even better."

"Mmm," she said as I unbuttoned her pants. I picked her up and gently placed her on the bed. I gave the baby everything I could to make him or her healthy. Hannah curled up to my body and told me that she loved me right before she drifted off. I told her that I loved her more and stroked her hair as I fell asleep.


	33. Chapter 33

***SMUT WARNING***

Chapter 33

The next morning I woke up to the sound of thunder. Hannah had naturally curled up to my body and buried her head in my chest. I had just realized that we had forgotten to check the weather before we left. The day before seemed nice, but I guessed that didn't mean anything. There wasn't any light coming from the window, complete darkness. I check the clock just to be sure that it was morning. I wanted to get out of bed, but I also wanted to stay in bed with Hannah because she shouldn't be alone during storms. I saw a streak of lightning that was closely followed by a loud clap of thunder. Hannah whimpered and shrunk closer to my body, but did not wake. All I could think about was how small Hannah was compared to me. I wrapped my arms around her a pulled her as close to me as I could. I kissed the top of her head. I tried to reach my hands around to her stomach to see if I could feel a baby bump, but I couldn't without waking her. I tried to fall back asleep, but a droplet of water fell on the tip of my nose. I figured it was my imagination so I nuzzled back down under the covers and closed my eyes. A minute later two more drops hit on the bridge of my nose and my forehead. I sighed and opened my eyes to see that there was a leak in the ceiling. I carefully got out of bed and got dressed.

The living room held Darry, Jennifer, Evie, Pony, and Ever. Ever was telling them a story about some girl she met at a bar in California that she had to fight because the girl's boyfriend was supposedly talking to his friends about wanting to "get a kill" on Ever. I rolled my eyes. I loved Ever but sometimes she was just self-centered.

"Hey, Dar," I said interrupting her, "do we have tools here?"

"I ain't sure, why?" he said furrowing his eyebrows.

"There's a leak in the ceiling above my bed." There was another extremely loud crack of thunder. I heard a scream come from the bedroom. Hannah burst out of the door moments later. She ran up to me and I wrapped my arms around her. She was breathing off track. I rubbed her back and got her into the kitchen. I sat her up on the counter and went into the medicine cabinet to find her antianxiety pills that I brought with us. I shook two of the pills out and got her a glass of water. She swallowed the pills and chased them down with the water. I rested my forehead against hers. I stroked her hair and tried to calm her down. After ten minutes her breathing went back to normal and she had stopped crying. I gave her a sweet kiss and walked her back to the living room. Everyone knew not to crowd Hannah while she was having an anxiety attack, but when we came back, Hannah was hugged by every single person in the room.

The next couple of days were really stormy and gross. Most of our time was spent sitting around a fire and talking. Once the weather cleared up Hannah and I convinced everyone to go on an outing for the day. After everyone cleared out I made Hannah poorly done heart shaped pancakes. I hadn't put a shirt on that morning and got batter all over my chest. She ate them still. The way that she chewed the food got me hot and bothered. She eyed me and unbuttoned the four top buttons of her shirt, and then she pushed the fabric aside so that I could see her bare chest. Automatically my hand went down to my crotch and I pulled at my jeans. Her eyes said "Do it." So I unbuttoned and unzipped my pants and let the pressure be release from my bulge. I reached my hands under the waistband of my pants and started to satisfy myself until Hannah was ready to let me satisfy her needs. She stood up from the table and moved over to me. She got onto her knees and pulled my pants and briefs down. She positioned her head over my cock and flicked her tongue over the tip. I felt my breath catch. She took it in a little bit at a time and pumped the rest with her hand. It felt so good, she was so amazing. She took me all the way in and worked her way off. She put her hands on my hips and I flinched a little.

"What's that, baby? Did you like that?" My heart was beating so fast and I felt so good. I tried to speak, but my voice wouldn't come out so I just nodded. "Do you think you can walk?" I shook my head. She cleared the table quickly and lay atop of it. I got up on the table and started kissing her neck. I unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it off, and then I worked her leggings off. I ripped off the little fabric she was wearing as underwear and pushed myself inside of her. I pulled myself out to savor the breath-taking moment. I kissed all over Hannah's jaw while I shoved myself back in slowly.

"Please, Sodapop," she begged. "Please, I need it." I positioned my mouth at her ear and said, "I can't hear you, baby." She raised her voice a little and started to breathe heavy. I went even slower just to tease her. "Scream it, baby."

"Please! I need it! Faster! Please! Give it to me!" I slammed myself into her as fast as I could and back out. Her walls closed tight around me as I released inside of her. I sloppily pushed my cock in a few more times before I collapsed beside her on the table. We both started laughing, hard. I kissed her ear and her jaw. Then I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom for round two.


	34. Chapter 34

***SMUT WARNING***

Chapter 34

I propped myself up on my elbows above Hannah's small, beautiful body. I kissed her jaw as I ran my up and down her bare torso. I guided my length to her slit and propelled myself inward slowly. When I hit her g-spot on the first thrust she let out a gasp of pleasure. Her hands found their way to my ass and pushed me deeper inside of her. I rocked myself out of her and then back in at a rhythm. I grunted as I pushed myself inward as hard as I could each time. She threw her head back and moaned because I hit her g-spot each time. I made hickies all over her neck and chest. All of a sudden she threw me off of her and onto my back. She straddled my lap and leaned down kissed my neck. She grinded her hips into mine and left scratch marks up and down my sides. I grimaced at how deep her nails sunk into my skin. I grabbed her ass and pulled her closer making her movements longer, harder and more aggressive. She rocked her hips back and forth. She bent down to kiss my lips and accidently bumped against my head. She gave a breathy laugh and said, "Oh, I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, baby!"

"Eh, I'd call that bullshit!"

"You can rub your head against mine anytime," I said winking. She started to laugh really hard as her hips moved against mine.

"That is one of the worst pick-up lines I have ever heard while being in bed with a boy, ever!"

"You want a better one?"

"Sure," she said sarcastically as she kissed my nose. I thought for a really bad one.

"Your legs are like an Oreo-I want to split them and eat all of the good stuff in the middle." She threw her head back and laughed.

"Well, baby, I don't wanna keep you from what you want!" She slid off of me and onto the other end of the bed. She sat with her legs glued together. I went over to her and tried to open her legs with my hands, but they wouldn't budge.

"Ah, ah, ahhh! You're gonna have to try harder than that!" I nodded and started to kiss at her knees. I made hickies over the tops and outer sides of her thighs. She let out a small gasp as I got to where I wanted to be, but wouldn't open her legs. I savored the sweet sweat that was all over her body. I made a sloppy hickey right over where her legs would need to part. She took my hair in her hands, opened her legs, and shoved my mouth where she wanted me to be. I let my tongue along her clit and snaked my tongue in her slit. But I quickly pulled it out to tease her. She fisted at my hair and pushed me closer. I put my tongue back inside of her and let it go as far as I could. I let my hands find their way to the indents on the small of her back. She arched her back and fisted my hair, trying to get me farther inside of her. I pulled out and smirked at her.

"You wanna hear my favorite pick-up line?" She nodded. Her lips were trembling and her hands were shaking. "I wanna put my thingy into your thingy." She started to laugh, but she was too close to laugh very easily. I slid up to her mouth and slipped inside of her. I pressed myself inside of her and gave her everything she needed. I slammed into her and pumped as fast as I could. My toes curled and my hands grasped for the footboard. I released inside of her and pushed myself in slackly a few times.

"Did you come?" I asked, not remembering her walls getting tighter.

"Yeah, baby," she said.

"Goddamn it! I meant to pull out right before and say another pick-up line!" She giggled very cutely and shook her head.

"And just would that be?"

"How about you be my story and I be your climax?" I collapsed on the bed beside her as we both laughed. She nuzzled her head into my chest and took one of my hands in hers. She started to have a thumb war with me.

"Tell me a secret," I requested.

"Well, I love you."

"I knew that already, tell me something that I don't know."

"Um, when I was a freshman, I dated older guys just to make you jealous."

"Ah, well I also knew that!"

"All of my girlfriends are actually lesbian lovers," she giggled sarcastically.

"Oh, really?" I said acting surprised.

"Uh huh!" There was a tiny break in our talking.

"How's little Sodapop Jr. doing?" I didn't realize that she was almost asleep until the words escaped my lips.

"How do you know it's gonna be Sodapop Jr.? It could be Mouse!"

"The next one can be Mouse! This one is gonna be Sodapop Jr.!"

"Well, the mystery baby is doing good. I actually think it is growing a little bit. Feel?" I reached my hand and felt a small little baby bump. You wouldn't have been able to tell if you didn't know what her stomach felt like before. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her closer to me. She kissed my shoulder and snuggled closer to me. She was asleep in a matter of seconds and I followed suit a few minutes afterward.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

That Sunday was March 30. We were packing up to leave the cabin. Hannah wasn't her happy self, considering the date. She told me that she was going to try to be happy for Ever because it was her twentieth birthday, but the moment she opened her eyes she started to cry. She missed her mother like crazy. They used to do everything together. Sometimes I still couldn't believe she was gone, but it had been _three_ years ago. I wanted to be happy and go out and party with Ever, but I needed to stay with Hannah. Ever had asked Hannah if she wanted her to stay with her, but she told her to go and have fun. I wanted her to ask Hannah to come and party with her, even though I already knew the answer.

After we packed up the cabin we headed back home. I sat in the back of the truck with Hannah and held her. She was letting silent tears run down her face. The hour ride back was very quiet. Pony, Dar, and Jennifer didn't dare to say a word. Ever and Two-Bit left a day before we did because they wanted to move her back into the apartment before we got back. They didn't want to stress Hannah any more than she already was.

Darry dropped me and Hann off at the apartment before he went on home with the other two. There was a package sitting by the door that Ever and Two must have missed. I saw the return address said "Fort Sill, OK". Fort Sill was the military base that I was getting sent to for training. I made sure that Hannah diodn't see the label because she didn't need a reason to be any sadder than she already was. I set the package on the table, and then I dropped the bags off in the living room and tucked Hannah into bed. I knew that she'd be okay tomorrow, but she was emotionally drained. She fell asleep not too long after. I started to unpack. I tried to put the package out of my mind until I was finished.

Around four in the afternoon Ever and Two-Bit came through the front door. I stared at the package in my hands while I was sitting on the couch thinking about opening it, even though I already knew what was inside.

"Hey, Sodapop," Ever said quietly because she knew Hannah was trying to sleep.

"Hey, guys," I replied.

"What's that?" she asked nodding towards the package in my hands.

"My uniform." She got quiet and just stared at it. She changed the subject.

"I'm going to go get Hannah out of bed because she's coming out tonight whether she likes it or not!"

"I dunno if that's a good idea, Evs."

"Um, sometimes you have to push the ones that you love outta bed so that they can have some fun, Sodapop." I followed her into the bedroom and Two trailed in behind me. Ever sat on the edge of the bed and gently shook Hannah awake. She blinked her eyes opened and then stared into Ever's confused.

"Hey, Hann," Ever said softly. "I want you to come out with us tonight."

"N-no," Hannah spluttered.

"Please, Hannah. Remember what you told me on Dal's birthday? The thing that Darry told Ponyboy? You can't stop living because someone dies. For some reason our little seven person family knows that feeling more than most. There is a time and a place for mourning, but that time is over. It's time to have fun, no matter the date and time. Sometimes you need to get up, put on a brave face, dress up like the beautiful woman you are, and have fun. I know that she was your mom, and I know that you loved, and still do love, her. But I know that she would rather you be out there, having fun, than you here crying over her. Please come out with me. You don't have to get shitfaced if you don't want to, and you sure as hell can if that's what suits your fancy! I want my best friend, my _sister_, out there with me celebrating my twentieth birthday. Please, Hannah." Hannah gulped as Ever waited for her answer. Hannah nodded slightly and sat up to give Ever a hug.

"I'll go, but Ev, I can't drink! I'm pregnant!"

"Oh that's right!" Ever beamed as she stood. "Okay! Now you two fools skedaddle and we'll get ready! Be here at 8!"

"Maybe!" I shot back as she shooed us from the bedroom and out of the front door.

"I think we should be like one minute late just to see what she says!" Two-Bit said as we walked to my truck. I heard the door open and I turned back. Hannah was standing there with her hand on her hip.

"Don't even think about being late, Pepsi-Cola!" She turned on her heels and went back in.

"Well there goes that plan!"

"I would never be late! Ever would kill me!" I said.

"Eh you'd be a'ight!"

When we got back to my house we decided it was too early to get ready so we kicked back and watched I Love Lucy reruns. I couldn't get my mind off of the package. I wasn't ready to leave. I wanted them to say that they sent it to the wrong Sodapop Curtis. I wanted them to say that because I had a kid on the way that I didn't have to go. I didn't want to go to war, ever. I wanted to stay with Hannah and be a family.

At seven-thirty we decided that it would be a good idea to start getting ready. I decided to shave and put very little grease in my hair. I put on a black and cream plaid flannel and an old pair of blue jeans. When I walked out into the living room I saw Two-Bit wearing a dark blue and forest green plaid flannel. I was shocked because he wasn't wearing a Mickey Mouse shirt under it, just a plain white tee. We got into my truck and rode over to the girls' apartment. We were there a minute early so we decided to go up to the door. I waited until eight on the dot to knock on the door. The girls answered in no time flat. Hannah had curled her beautiful golden-blonde hair so that it fell at her waist. Her eyeliner was put on thick as well as her mascara. She wore peach lipstick or lip gloss or whatever girls put on their lips. Her dress was almost as beautiful as her. It was a strapless peach dress. The top half was covered in peach colored gems and the bottom puffed outwards a little. The bottom had the same peach colored gems scattered down it. She was wearing peach stilettos that had peach gems scattered all over them. The heels raised her a little bit higher, but she was still shorter than me. I took a same glance at Ever, enough to see that she straightened her hair and she was wearing the same dress as Hannah, but in gold, and she wore red lip stuff. I gave Hannah a kiss on the cheek and took her hand.

"Oh, yeah!" Ever said. "I forgot to say that I have to drive because I'm the only one who knows where we're going! And we have to take you're truck, Pretty Boy, because my car can't fit us all!" I groaned, but handed over the keys. Hannah gave me a kiss on the cheek and squeezed my hand, reassuring me that she was okay and tonight was going to be fun.


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36 Hannah and I cuddled together in the backseat of the truck while Two-Bit rode in the front with Ever. I had assumed that we would be going to Buck's or a bar close by. But Ever had been driving for forty-five minutes before she pulled into a parking space across from a bar. There was a neon sign announcing that the building was open for business. I caught a glimpse at another sign that said "Last call is at 1 AM". I thought it was odd for last call to be so early. Ever opened the door and I realized why. This was no ordinary dim lit bar, it was more like a café. I felt like the girls were overdressed for this place, but I decided not to say anything. "Don't worry," Ever whispered. "We won't be here for long. An hour tops. I used to come here a lot with Dal and I made some friends with the regulars. He didn't like it here much because he couldn't be loud, but I love it. I'm just gonna say hi, have a drink with them, listen to their poetry and recite one of mine and then we can go to a different bar." "Poetry?" I asked. "You brought me to a poetry bar?" I couldn't believe it. I could barely comprehend the words she used on a daily basis. "Wait, when did you start writing poetry?" "Um, since I could write. Now, shush." She walked us into the main part of the bar. There were a few people scattered throughout. There was a curly haired boy on the stage reciting a poem about death or love or something. Ever introduced us to her friends Adam and Scott, who were sitting at a table in the middle of the room. Adam was tall, a few inches taller than me. He had short medium brown hair that had hair products put in it to make the front stand up. He had a scruffy face, like mine was when I didn't shave for a day or so. Scott was on the shorter side. He wore black framed glasses. His hair was long, but he greased it back. He had a cool expression on his face. More like he was trying to act cool. We sat down with them and started talking. Adam was up next to recite, but they were taking a ten minute break. "How's it been goin'?" he asked Ever. She sighed with great force. "Alright I guess. I dropped out and came back here and I enrolled in that community college you're going to now, Scott." "Really?" Scott said. "Yeah." "Well it's a good school. It'll be nice to see a new face there." I tuned out of their conversation when they stared to talk about literature. I looked over at Hannah to see that she was staring at Adam. I couldn't blame her. He was pretty easy on the eyes, but I didn't want her to leave me when I left. I knew that he would be better for her. He was smarter and could provide more for her. Hell, he was handsomer too. I reached under the table and grabbed Hannah's hand. It was soft and warm. I found comfort in her little hand. It felt like…like home. Like love. I felt loved whenever I touched her hands. I never wanted to let go of them. Adam got up a few minutes later and took his place at the stage. Once he started his poem I tuned him out. It was about war. I didn't want to think about that uniform sitting in the box laying on the couch in the living room. I tried to get the image of me wearing the uniform while leaving, then while training, while I get shot through the heart during battle, and finally at my funeral, but it was burned inside of my brain. The nightmares had started. They made me want to crawl under a rock and just disappear. War was the only part of my life that I wasn't looking forward to. The whizzing of bullets and cracking of guns filled my ears. I never wanted to experience it, ever. Ever got up and went to the stage two people after Adam. She smiled at the crowd and cleared her throat. "I am always willing to help a friend. Even if the gun is to my head, If the pills are in my hands, If the noose is tied around my neck, I will always help a friend. The best way to talk me off of the edge, Is to give me a purpose." I thought about it for a long time. I didn't want to know what she was talking about. I didn't want to know when she wrote that poem or why, but I knew that I needed to give her a hug. As soon as she came off the platform I did. It was long and overdue. I almost started to cry into her shoulder, but I stopped myself. She gave the two boys kisses on the cheek and then walked us back out to the truck. Once we got settled I took Hannah's hand again. I needed the warmth and safety. I needed her. I looked into her beautiful gunmetal blue eyes and I was instantly entranced by her beauty. She was so mesmerizing. Every time I looked at her I fell in love all over again. It was the single most wonderful thing that I had ever felt. We arrived at a different bar around ten minutes later. I helped Hannah out of the car and refused to let go of her hand. I refused to leave her side. I decided to be the designated driver for the night. That way Ever and Two-Bit could get drunk as hell and Hannah wouldn't have to drive. She wasn't a big fan of driving. As soon as we got inside I took the keys away from Ever. Hannah and I found a small table and sat down. I ordered us both Pepsi and I made sure they knew to absolutely not put any alcohol in Hannah's. They said that they would never put alcohol in anything they were told was supposed to be non-alcoholic. They even had separate glasses for the drinks. Halfway through the night Hannah asked me to dance a slow song with her. Of course I said yes. Can Stop Loving You by Elvis came on as soon as I asked for her hand. I grabbed her waist with one hand and held her hand with my other. She put her face into my neck and hummed along to the music. She was so warm. I wanted to stay like this and never have to do anything else. Just dance with her, swaying back and forth to an Elvis song. At two in the morning Ever and Two found us and said that they were ready to leave. Hannah steadied Ever while I steadied Two-Bit and we walked them out to the truck. We buckled them up in the backseat and then we climbed into the front. Hannah kicked her shoes off and curled up next to me. I stroked her hair with one hand and steered with the other. I dropped Ever and Two-Bit off at the apartment and then brought me and Hannah back to my house. I gave her a pair of my sleeping pants and one of my white shirts. They looked like shapeless sacks on her, but she insisted that they were comfortable and lay on the bed beside me. She gave me a small kiss on the cheek and then nuzzled her head into my chest. She dozed off in a matter of seconds. I felt the rise and fall of her chest; I heard the steadiness of her breathing. I eventually fell asleep to the beautiful, natural sounds of the love of my life sleeping. 


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37 Nothing eventful happened until April 25th. Everybody had been acting secretive the whole week or so before. Darry asked me what pants size I wore, as well as my shirt and jacket sizes. I thought that he already knew them, but I gave them to him despite. When I asked what he needed them for, he just said that I'd see later. I didn't think any more of it. The 25th was a very warm Friday. It was too warm for me to wear a flannel so I threw on a light grey t-shirt that was snug to my body. I thought that it was too tight, but Hannah had told me that it showed all of my muscles and looked just perfect. We were trying to spend as much time as possible together, but she had to work that day. The closer we got to June the closer we got. We had less than a month together and we tried to make the best of it. I took her on surprise dates when we were both off work. I told her how much I loved her as much as I could. I kissed her every time I got the chance. I held her every time we slept. I never let her go unless I had to. We had talked a couple of times about when we were going to elope, but every time we tried one of the boys or Ever stopped us. They always said they had a problem that we had to help them with and then kept us until the courthouse was closed. I never understood why they always did that. I thought they wanted us to get married, especially Darry. He wasn't too fond of the idea that Hannah was having a baby before we were married. And when we asked for someone to be our witness they all immediately became busy. That day around three Darry came through the door of the apartment and told me that he had somewhere he needed to take me. Hannah was supposed to be headed home from work. "Um, where?" I asked him. "None of your damn business. Now get in the car and don't argue with me, little buddy." I didn't want him to get angry so I went with him out to the car. There was a suit lying in the backseat of his car. It wasn't big enough to be his and wasn't small enough to be Pony's. "Dar?" I said as we got in the car and closed the doors. "Yeah, little man?" "What's that suit for?" "You'll see," he said stopping all conversation. He drove me to Two-Bit's house and dropped me off with the suit. I was instructed to go to Ms. Mathews and find out what I'm supposed to be doing. Hey, Ms. Mathews!" I announced when I came through the door. "Sodapop Curtis!" she said with one hand on her hip. "How many times have I told you to call me Julia?" Two's mom had him when she was 17. She looked a lot older than 37. His dad left them a month or two after he was born. They hadn't even finalized the divorce yet and it had been twenty years. "I'm sorry!" She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "So what is goin' on? Why am I here?" "Well, it's nice to see you too! Well I have been ordered by the mighty power that is Darry to have you showered, groomed, dressed and at your house by five o'clock! So we probably better hop to it!" "But why?" "Can't tell ya! Now get in that shower! And when was the last time you shaved? You look like a damned wooly mammoth!" "A week!" "Goddamn child! Get in that shower!" "Okay! Okay!" I hopped into the shower and turned the water on hot. I was curious as to what this was all about. A suit, separating me and Hannah, not telling me anything, it was driving me insane! Once I scrubbed every part of me I wrapped the bottom half of me in a yellowish green towel and got out. There was a pair of black boxer briefs and a white undershirt sitting on the sink in the bathroom. I dried myself off and put them on. I opened the door and started to walk out, but I was pushed back in. Ms. Mathews grabbed the chair from under the sink and had me sit down. She pulled a razor from the drawer and some shaving cream. "Awe c'mon, Ms. Math—Julia! Is this necessary?" "Yes, it is!" "Well don't mess up! I like my face the way it is!" "Yeah, maybe a little too much there, eh?" "Yeah, yeah, yeah, laugh it up! Laugh at the boy in the chair!" "Shut up or I'm going to cut your throat!" I did as I was told. About fifteen minutes later she stood back to show my stubbly face. It looked just the way Hannah liked it, rough. "Now for the hair," she proclaimed. "No, no, no, I can do my own." "I know I'm a nurse, but I know how to make a guy look good! Just look at your damn face! Trust me!" I looked in the mirror and had to admit that she was right. She grabbed the pomade from the counter and started on my hair. "Ya know, Casanova, you look kinda sexy with your hair pushed back," she said with a wink. I laughed to myself and looked in the mirror. She did a perfect job. She looked at her watch and it said four-thirty. "Oh, shit! You get dressed while I get ready!" She pushed me out of the bathroom and headed to her own room. I took the suit from its hanging place in the living room and went into the bathroom. I put on the white shirt and buttoned it up. Then I put on the black pants. I tucked my shirt in before I pulled them all the way up and secured them with the belt that was hanging with them. I grabbed the straight black tie that was hung across the hanger and lifted the collar to my shirt. I recalled from the back of my brain on how to tie a tie and tied it in no time flat. I thought about putting on the suit jacket, and ended up going with my first instinct not to wear it. I didn't know if I was supposed to wear my converses or something else. I walked out of the bathroom and knocked on Ms. Mathews' door. Right as I opened my mouth to ask she directed me to go to Two's room and look on the bed. I made my way to his room and on the bed was a brand-new pair of black dress shoes and a pair of black dress socks. I sat on the edge of his bed and put on the socks. Then, I tried on the shoes. They fit perfectly just like all the other clothes. I sat on the couch until Ms. Mathews came out of her bedroom. She was wearing a yellow sundress that went to her knees and a pair of white heels. "Let's go! Your big brother will kill me if we're late!" She scooted me out of the door and into the car. "Where's your jacket?" "Um, at your house." "What the hell, kid? Your brother is gonna kill me!" "He'll get over it! Plus it's too hot for that!" She shook her head and rolled her eyes. We parallel parked across the street from my house. There were white balloons everywhere. She hurried me into the house. Darry, Pony, Two-Bit and Steve were dressed up and standing around the living room. "Oh, thank god!" Darry exclaimed. "Is he here?" I heard a voice call from the bedroom. "Yeah!" he shouted back. "Oh, it took him long enough!" "Come on, little buddy," he said. He took me by the shoulders and lead me out the back door. There was a white arch covered with red roses. I took a deep breath and finally realized what was going on. Darry walked me down the white cloth that was laid on the ground and to the arch. There was a priest standing in the middle of the arch. Darry went back into the house and Two-Bit, Steve, Ms. Mathews, Jennifer, and Evie took their seats on the little plastic chairs that I recognized from the church up the street. I stood facing the house, wringing my hands from excitement and nerves. A few minutes later Ever came out of the back door. She was wearing a one strapped dress that was a periwinkle blue with a two inch belt around the middle. It stopped right above her knees. She wore the same color heels. She threw white flower pedals as she walked. She came up to me a whispered in my ear before she took her place across from me. "If you hurt her, I will end you, saavy?" Then, I heard the back door crack open. I quickly turned to see who it was. Darry had his arm looped through one of Hannah's arms and Pony had his arm looped through the other. I took one look at Hannah and I thought I was going to drop to the floor. Her hair was curled and put into a half up half down style. Her makeup was done like usual and she had on red lipstick. She was wearing a Cinderella type white strapless gown. The torso was covered in silver jewels. It draped to the ground. She was carrying a bouquet of daisies. I wanted to run over to her and hug her. I could tell that I was just smiling like a fool. When they got right in front of me, my brothers hugged her and let her stand beside me. She passed the flowers to Ever and took my hands. The priest started us off with a prayer. "Have you prepared vows?" he asked us. "Well I haven't, but I have some things that I need to tell her," I said to him. I turned towards Hannah and took a deep breath. "Hannah, you're beautiful. You are so funny. I love how you'll get up and get cereal as a snack. You put up with me. I love that. I love how your hair always smells nice. You're my best friend, Hannah. I trust you so much. You are so so smart. Your sleepy voice is adorable. You're always so amazingly positive. Your candles smell awesome. I love you. I'm in fucking love with you." She gave a little laugh and shook her head. "Sodapop, I love your smile. It's so radiant. And your eyes. Your lips are so perfect. Your hair is so sexy , especially pushed back like that. I love your voice and your hands and your laugh. I love it when you smirk at me like that. I love your teasing and your weird faces and your humor. The way you walk and say my name and the way that you look at me and talk to me. I love how you sing and dance. I love your body. I just love you. I'm in love with you too." Ponyboy brought the rings up to us. The band that they picked out for me had a snowflake etched into it. I placed the ring on her finger and she placed mine on my finger. "You may now kiss the bride." I pulled her in close to me and kissed her lightly. "Is that all you got, Mr. Curtis?" she smirked. "Nah, baby, you want more, Mrs. Curtis?" "Oh, yeah, sugar." I pulled her closer and kissed her long and hard. I felt as if the moment was frozen in time. I lived in it for an infinity. I was in love with the woman that I had just married and I didn't want to let go. Every night when I went to sleep I wanted her to be there and every morning when I woke up I wanted her lying right beside me, still asleep. I needed her, always and forever. As I smiled down at Hannah, I started to cry. I pulled her into a hug and never let go. 


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Every morning that I woke up nuzzled close to Hannah made it harder for me to think about having to leave. The uniform was still in its package, unopened, waiting at the top of the closet. I had two weeks left before I had to leave. I did as much with my brothers as I could. We went on family picnics of just the three of us. We had family movie nights. But Darry had not been able to make it to a lot of them starting a week after the wedding. Pony had to go to drama practice three nights a week. I had talked to my boss about the whole situation and he said that he'd have to let me go for the time being, but if I came back I could sure as hell have my job back. So I sat at home alone every day except for the days that Ever or Hannah had off.

Ponyboy came home from school on the 17th with eight tickets for their play called "Rumors". He wouldn't tell me what it was about and that I'd just have to wait and see the next night.

At five o'clock the next night the eight of us were piled in the living room of our house. Everyone was excited for the play. Darry, Jennifer, Hannah, and I all rode together. Two drove Ever and Steve drove Evie. I sat in the back with Hannah on the short ride to the high school. The high school was small. I hadn't actually been inside of it for a while, but everything was so familiar. I held Hannah's hand as we walked into the dimly lit brick building. A few people that Hannah knew waved at her, but didn't come over to speak. We found eight seats together close to the middle and sat down. Even though the play wasn't due to start for an hour the house was packed. There were people everywhere. I fiddled with Hannah's hand as we sat there. It was always hard for me to sit still. I physically couldn't. It was hard for me to also be quiet. After a while the auditorium's lights dimmed and the play started.

Pony was playing one of the main characters named Tommy. Cherry, Pony's girlfriend, was playing the mean girl in school, Diana. Tommy always talks about Diana to his best friend Dave. But what Tommy doesn't know is that Diana is in love with the football star Matt. Diana and Matt start dating and when Tommy finds out he gets furious. He sends Dave and his other friend Albert out to tell rumors and gossip about Matt to break him and Diana up. Within a "week" the rumors get around to Diana. She ended up breaking up with Matt and Tommy made his move. I didn't really pay attention throughout the whole thing. When I tuned back in Diana found out that Tommy was the one spreading the rumors. She kicked him out of her life and he ended up being back on the bottom of the high school food chain. I guess the moral of the story is to not lie or something.

We waited around in the lobby for Pony to come out of the auditorium. He and Cherry came out holding hands with wide grins on their faces. I gave him a big bear hug and tell him how great he did.

"Thanks, Soda," he said. I gave Cherry a small hug and told her that she did well too. We got into the car and drove home. We sat down around the living room and just talked.

Everyday up until the 22nd was normal, but sad. That Sunday I had to pack. I bought my bus ticket then too. I was going to leave at five A.M. I finally picked up the package from the top of the closet. My heart started pounding as I took the knife to the tape. My hands were shaking and my breathing was off as I picked up the uniform and held it up. The dark green camouflage made my stomach churn. I never wanted to ever have to wear that. I felt so sick. Once I got over it I laid it on top of my bags so that I could wear it the next day. I noticed that it had 'S. Curtis' on the left breast pocket.

I went into the bathroom and washed my face. A few tears rolled down my face before I washed it again. I climbed into the bed with Hannah and wrapped my arms around her. I felt her shudder a few times.

"It's okay, baby. I'm gonna be back soon. I love you so much."

"I love you too. I just…I can't lose you…"

"I know. You won't, baby." I nuzzled my face into her neck and tried to fall asleep, but my nerves were too high. I eventually found a lull in my nerves and fell into a restless sleep.


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

My body woke me up at four that morning. I had only gotten a couple of hours of sleep. Hannah was sitting at the edge of the bed cross-legged watching me sleep.

"Hey, baby," I said sitting up. I looked into her eyes. They were extremely red and tired looking. The bags under her eyes were darker and bigger than usual. She had streaks going down her face. She was sleep deprived and depressed. She was worried about me, the baby, herself. I didn't want her to be like this.

"Hi," she stammered.

"How long have you been up?"

"I…I dunno…I woke up a little after you fell asleep…"

"It's okay, baby." I got her up and went into the bathroom with her. I turned the warm water on and started to undress. Once I undressed I noticed that Hannah was just standing there still clothed. I Went over to her and took her clothes off. When the water was warm enough I helped her get into the shower. I shampooed and conditioned her hair. I also washed her back with her favorite peppermint body wash. Then I washed myself. I stood under the water for a minute and tried to pull my thoughts together.

When we got out of the shower it was 4:43. I dried us both off and then I sent Hannah back into the bedroom to get dressed. I didn't want her to have to watch me change into the uniform. I put on the heavy canvas material and looked at myself in the mirror. I wanted to grease my hair back, but in the letter that came with the uniform said that I wasn't allowed to do anything with it because it would make it harder to buzz. I shaved my face and brushed my teeth before I left the bathroom.

Everyone had stayed at my house that night so that they could see me off in the morning. I had planned to just slip out and leave a note, but everyone was sitting around the living room waiting for me. Hannah was sitting in the armchair and I could see the silent sobs that rocked her body. I took her hand and squeezed it tight into mine.

My goodbye hugs started with Two-Bit. His face was solemn and serious, not a thing usually seen. Then I got one from Steve. He patted my back and told me how good of a friend I was and how much he loved me and was going to miss me. Ever ran into my arms next. She wasn't crying like everyone else, even me, but I could tell that she wanted to from how she shook.

"Please take care of Hannah, please," I begged.

"I will. Take care of yourself and come home alive. I love you, Pepsi."

"I love you too, Evs." She walked away, silently pushing back the tears. Darry and Pony engulf me next. We kept saying how much we loved each other. I told them not to fight anymore and they promised they wouldn't.

I took Hannah's hands and helped her out of the chair.

"I love you, baby. I'm going to come back, I swear. Please wait for me. I love you so much and I already miss you." She nodded her head and started to cry harder. I lead her head to the nook of my neck and let her cry. She managed to choke out an "I love you too."

I peeled her off of me and she immediately latched onto Ever. She rubbed her back and consoled her. I grabbed my bags and told everyone that I'd see them later. I opened the door and walked out.

As I sat at the bus stop that I walked to I noticed that I was right at the graveyard. The bus was already a half an hour late so I probably had enough time to go and speak. First I found Dally and Johnny's graves. They lay parallel to each other.

"Guys, I'm so scared," I trembled. "I don't know what to expect, but…I bought that plot right next to you…just in case…I miss you guys…"

Then I found my parents on the next row.

"I miss you, Mommy…and you too, Daddy…I love you…please…please be with me…I need you…" I heard the bus coming towards me. I got off of my knees and walked back to the stop. I picked up my bags and as I mounted the bus I looked back once more. I wasn't sure if I had my whole life ahead of me or if I was already gone.

**The End**


	40. Author's Ending Note

**Hey guys! I want to thank you for reading this! There will be a sequel called Separated Love! Told from multiple points of view! Stay tuned for the first chapter! It should be out soon!  
**

**Thanks guys! Make sure to review I love feedback! I need to know if I'm doing a swell job or if there is something I can do to make it better! I love y'all!**


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